The Story Left Untold
by sarahserenity6296
Summary: Elena understands now how easy it is to be Katherine; to be with them both. But a tragic death causes her to flee and she plans to never go back, until 3 years later she has to & she has to face her past and the guilt that goes along with it. -COMPLETE-
1. Chapter 1

**Hey people! So this is my second story I'm currently working on. On A Fault Line being my first. I don't know exactly where this story is going. I was in class and just started writing it on a note card lol. Pretty much ignore everything after episode 8 in season 2. So tell what you think, whether I should continue it, etc. **

Chapter 1- A Goodbye Like No Other

"... where the traveler meets aghast sheeted memories of the past..." -_Dreamland_, Edgar Allan Poe

Memories are a funny thing. Some you remember, like when you lost your first tooth or how you felt when you got your first kiss. Other memories you can't recall. Like the first snowman you built, or the first time you jumped into a pool by yourself. Some of these memories you wish you could remember, like how you felt the first time you saw snow or what your favorite toy was as a child. And then there are the memories you wish more than anything you could forget. You would do anything to escape from it, for it to stop haunting your dreams, from completely dictating the every breath you breath in and out. But that's the thing about memories- they just don't care.

At least, that's how Elena felt. It had been three years since Elena had seen the town that she had called her home her entire life. Where she grew up, where her parents died, where she fell in love, where her life and beliefs changed forever. Mystic Falls was truly that- mystic. It was a town like no other. It was small, nothing flashy like New York City or Los Angeles, but Elena had always loved it. She had never felt trapped, or like she was destined for bigger, better things. It was home and Elena truly loved it. She loved it even after she found out the history of it. That vampires had been living in the town for the better part of two centuries. She loved it even after she found out about Katherine- who she was the doppelganger of. She still loved it after she found out the love of her life was a vampire, with a sociopath older brother. Mystic Falls was Elena's safe haven, her home, her life.

And then it wasn't.

In one single night, her world came crashing down around her, leaving her with nothing but rubble and hurt.

That night had haunted Elena everyday, every second.

She laid in bed and with a crushing force, felt the night coming back with a vengeance- just like it always did.

It had been a long day. A very, very long day.

Elena had been kidnapped by two vampires named Rose and Trevor (the latter now deceased), simply for being the doppelganger of the oh so lovely Katherine Pierce aka Katerina Petrova. Travis and Rose had been on the run for five centuries because of Katherine and her ways, running from an Original. His name was Elijah. They were going to trade her for their freedom. Elena was needed to break a curse- no, not a curse. The curse. The curse that condemned vampires and werewolves to the night. He was beyond anything Elena could have imagined. Upon looking at him, he wasn't a frightening looking man with his designer suit, brown hair, brown eyes and masculine face. But looks were very deceiving in this case. He was very dangerous. He had knocked Trevor's head clear off his shoulders without a blink of an eye.

Luckily for Elena, her best friend, who happened to be a witch, had used a crafty little spell to find the exact location she was in. Her knights in shining armor naturally came to her rescue- the elusive Stefan and Damon Salvatore, brothers, enemies, friends.

They had saved her from Elijah, driving a stake through his heart, killing him. Or so they thought.

She would very soon learn how _not _dead Elijah was… but not before…

"Cute PJ's," a familiar voice said, startling Elena.

Sitting in front of her was no other than Damon Salvatore. He looked up at her, a small smile on his handsome face.

She stopped and looked down at the floor, feeling uncomfortable in her skin. "I'm tired, Damon," she said, fearing of to what she owned this visit.

He stood up and began to walk to her. As he approached, he held out something in his hand, dangling. "Brought you this," he said, holding it out to her.

A flood of relief washed through her. "I- I thought that was gone," she said, staring at it in disbelief.

He shook his head, one quick turn of his hand and a tiny smile on his face.

She sighed in relief. "Thank you," she said, reaching out to take it.

He pulled it back, just out of her reach. An intense, determined expression showed on his face and fear settled in Elena's chest.

"Please give it back," she said, fear evident in her voice and face.

"I just have to say something," he said, taking a step forward, to which she mirrored, only instead of taking a step forward, she took one back. The fear had turned into full fledged panic as she stared at the vampire in front of her.

"Why do you have to say it with my necklace?" she asked, her voice shaking uncontrollably.

His eyebrows furrowed and something in his face looked puzzled, like he didn't understand what he was about to say.

"Because what I'm about to say is-" he hesitated, looking around the room. "-probably is the most selfish thing I've ever said in my life."

She sucked in a shaking breath, staring at her necklace. "Damon don't go there," she said, looking up to meet his eyes, his ice blue eyes.

He took two steps forward and with hands out, said, "I only have to say it once."

He stepped forward again and there was only a few inches in between his chest and his. "You just need to hear it," he said.

He stared into her eyes intently. "I love you, Elena," he said, holding her with his gaze. She didn't doubt what he was saying in the least. The fear drained from her body and she listened to the words that continued to flow from his full lips.

He bit his lip slightly. "And its because I love you that... I can't be selfish with you."

Elena listened, mesmerized and confused and completely clueless of what to do, how to respond.

"And why you can't know this."

His words crashed into Elena and she understood exactly what he was going to do. He confessed his love for her, and then he was going to compel her, take it all back in a way. He wasn't going to give her the option of saying anything back to him because he wasn't going to allow it.

"I don't deserve you," he said, voice full of love, regret and lost.

She opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't find the words to say.

He continued. "But my brother does."

He stepped forward again and this time, she didn't step back. She watched as his face grew nearer and nearer to her's until he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. It was sweet, full of love and tragedy.

He stepped back and she saw it in his eyes- what he was going to do. He reached out a hand to her, brushing the side of her face and hair.

"God I wish you didn't have to forget this," he said, voice as soft as a feather. A single tear fell from his right eye and Elena's heart clenched so tight she couldn't breath. "But you do."

She felt the magnetic pull of his gaze and she knew within seconds it would all be over. Damon would leave, taking his words with him. She felt herself begin to lose herself in his gaze and she suddenly couldn't have that. Before it was too late and while she still could, she stepped forward, momentarily causing Damon to break his hold on her.

She reached up on her toes and pressed her lips to Damon, softly, carefully, afraid of what exactly would happen.

He was completely still for a moment, shocked by what was happening.

Elena wasn't sure how she was going to feel kissing Damon.

It was a mixture of sweetness, hesitance and complete and utter rightness.

She slowly wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him harder.

He came back to life and kissed her back, each second the kiss deepening and before she knew it, his arms were wrapped tightly around her waist and she was pressing herself into him, needing to feel him on every inch of her body.

Kissing Damon was very different from kissing Stefan. Stefan was always gentle and sweet, like he was scared he was going to break her. Damon wasn't like that at all. Damon wasn't gentle. He wasn't too rough, but he wasn't gentle either. She could taste danger on his tongue and she liked it. She liked the way Damon made her feel as he explored her mouth with his tongue.

She liked it so much she didn't think of Elijah, or Katherine or even Stefan as she began to back up, pulling him with her. They fell backwards on the bed, Damon on top of her.

They kissed until Elena couldn't see, think, feel, touch, taste or _know_ anything but Damon and she slowly began unbuttoning the buttons on his shirt, feeling her hands down the smooth marble of his chest as she went

She pulled his shirt off and ran her hands up and down his smooth chest, moaning into his mouth.

Her fingers touched the waist of his jeans and he pulled back suddenly.

"Elena," he said, breathlessly. "We can't… Stefan… we."

Elena silenced him with another kiss. She looked into his eyes and knew the words that were bubbling up her throat and forming on her lips were true. "I love you Damon," she said, breathlessly. It felt so right finally saying those words. She knew inj that moment she had always loved Damon. She had just been lying to herself.

His eyes widened but instantly filled again with hesitance. "But-"

"But nothing," she whispered. "I love you."

She saw as he internally argued with himself before his eyes suddenly filled with heat and he kissed her again, but with more passionate, more heat, more intensity, if that was even possible.

The rest of the night, all there was was Damon Salvatore.

The night came and went and Elena woke up, feeling a strong pair of arms wrapped around her.

The night's events rushed back and she sucked in a breath.

She told Damon she loved him. She had sex with Damon. More than once, or twice even. She couldn't find it in herself to feel regret but she did feel something- guilt. She did love Damon, but she loved Stefan too. She was turning into something she swore to herself she wouldn't; she was turning into Katherine.

"Good morning," Damon said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Good morning."

He hesitated. "What's wrong?" he asked, hearing the tone in her voice.

"Damon, I-" She sat up and looked down at him, feeling her heart beat faster and her breath hitch.

He sat up too, his eyebrows furrowed. "Elena, what's wrong?"

She stared at him and felt tears fill her eyes.

His eyes winded and he cupped her cheek with his hand. "Elena, please," he said, slowly, softly.

She covered her mouth with her hands. "I'm just as bad as Katherine," she whispered through her hands.

Confusion filled Damon's eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I can't do this," she said, motioning to the both of them.

Damon's' eyes harden and he drops his hands from Elena's face. "You regret it," he said, flatly.

Elena saw the hurt underneath all that hardness and she quickly reached up to cup his face in her hands. "No," she said, firmly. "I do love you and I don't regret last night."

His eyes filled with confusion again. "But-"

"I won't be Katherine," Elena said, firmly. "I won't be with both of you. I won't tear you both apart like that."

"Then what are you going to do?" Damon asked.

"I'm going to talk to Stefan."

Damon closed his eyes before opening them again. "You do that Elena."

With vampire speed, he slipped his clothes back on and disappeared out her window before she could say a word.

Elena hated the way her stomach flipped as she approached the Salvatore Boarding House.

She knew it was because of what she was about to do.

She knew she had to do it, but it didn't make it any easier.

She took a deep breath and walked up to the grand doorway of the house that she had grown to call her second home. She knocked on the door and patiently waited for Stefan to come and let her in.

After a few minutes of waiting, she knocked again and wondered if he had gone out. He certainly would have opened the door by now.

Fear seized her. What if Damon told Stefan what had happened the night before? What if Stefan was so upset he couldn't even look at her? _Please, please, God don't have let Damon told Stefan what had happened. Please. _She needed to be the one to explain.

She wasn't lying when she said she loved Stefan too. She did. She loved Stefan and Damon and didn't want either of them to be hurt. Maybe breaking it off with both of the, would be the right thing to go… Was she strong enough to do that?

She pulled her cell phone out from her pocket and hit the number 2, which was Stefan's speed dial number. She hadn't genuinely noticed how funny it was until that moment that Damon was 3.

The phone continuously rang and she hung up. She hit number 3.

"Yes?" Damon answered.

"Have you seen Stefan?" Elena asked, worried.

"Not since yesterday," he said, emotionlessly. "Why?"

"Because I'm standing in front of your house right now and he isn't coming to the door or answering his phone."

"Maybe he's asleep," Damon said.

Elena had the urge to hit something. "Stop being an asshole, Damon. I'm getting worried."

"Elena calm down," Damon said. "I'm willing to bet he's just out and forgot his phone."

Elena didn't buy that. She didn't know why… she just didn't. She reached down and pushed he door, seeing if it was unlocked.

It was.

"Damon your front door is unlocked," Elena whispered.

Elena didn't move and listened to the silence on the other end.

Finally, he said, "Stay where you are. I'm coming home."

The line went dead and Elena peaked into the house, fear gripping her. What if something bad had happened to Stefan? Damon and told her to wait, but she couldn't. She needed to go in there.

Hesitantly, she stepped inside the house, leaving the door open behind her. She surveyed the surroundings before deciding to continue farther into the house. She didn't see anything out of place.

She stepped into the parlor and looked around in there too.

Everything looked fine until she looked at the right wall.

A scream bubbled up in her throat before coming out of her mouth in a horrified, devastated shriek.

Stefan was standing again the wall, a broken wooden coat hanger shoved directly through his heart and into the wall, holding him against it, in an all too familiar way. His head was down, his body was limp and his skin was an awful gray color. Elena knew that color to well.

Stefan was dead.

She forgot about Damon, she forgot about Elijah, she forgot about everything but Stefan.

She ran to him, screaming and crying. She shook his limp, unmoving shoulders, willing him to wake up.

"Please! Please Stefan wake up! Please wake up!" she screamed over and over. "Stefan please! Don't do this to me! Wake up!"

She had no idea how she long she stood there, shaking him and screaming for him to wake up. Somewhere in her rational mind she knew Stefan was dead and he wasn't going to wake up. But that hurt too much so she continued to pray and beg that he would open his eyes and say "Just kidding!"

He didn't though and that only made her cry even more.

Suddenly someone was holding her, pulling her away from Stefan and with blinding fear, she wondered if it was Stefan's killer.

She kicked and screamed and tried to break free from whoever was holding her.

"Elena stop! Elena its Damon!"

She opened her eyes and looked up at who was holding her for the first time. It was Damon.

And again, she began to cry. "S-Stefan he's- he's-" she sobbed.

"I know," Damon said and for the second time, Elena saw Damon cry.

They sank to the floor, Damon holding her while she sobbed. Damon didn't sob like she did, but tears fell from his icy blue eyes as he stared at his dead little brother. She saw rage in his eyes and she knew he was going to hunt and destroy whoever killed Stefan. Damon may have pretended he didn't care for Stefan, but Damon loved him just as much as Elena did, just in a different way.

Again, she didn't know how much time elapsed while she sobbed into Damon's chest.

And then something hit her, hit her with enough force to knock the breath out of her. Stefan had been murdered while she and Damon had been together all night and the morning. If they hadn't of been together, Damon would have been at home and would have been able to help Stefan. Maybe Stefan wouldn't be dead if Elena hadn't kissed Damon. She did love Damon, she really did, but she would rather have neither of them than one of them be dead because of her.

She ripped herself from Damon's arms.

"I have to go," she said. "I have to leave here."

"Elena, what-" He got up and tried to go to her.

She backed up slowly, wrapping her arms tight around herself. "No!" she shouted. "I have to go! I can't be here! I have to-"

She stopped then and ran to her car, getting in and driving down the driveway as quickly as possible. And she didn't stop driving, even as her surroundings became unfamiliar and she had no idea where she was.

She didn't stop driving; she couldn't.

She needed to get far, far away from what was behind her.

And so she did.

But not matter how far you get away, you can't escape memories or the past.

Both will come back to haunt you.


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow. Thank you so, so much for the reviews and the story alerts and favorites! I did not expect any of that! I nearly fell out of my chair this morning- or well, mid day- after I woke up and came to the computer. Like seriously, thank you SOOO much. Lol so I am definitely continuing this story and I have pretty much worked out a plot now. I have to balance this story and my other one though, so I can't tell you exactly how often I will update chapters, but I'll do my best. I am finding this one easier to write than On A Fault Line though, so you never know. **

**I am changing one thing in the actual show though, so my story will work better. I think all the characters (but Jeremy) are juniors but in my story they were seniors. The timing just won't work if they were juniors. So here's the next chapter! R&R!**

_"**All of us, whether guilty or not, whether old or young, must accept the past. It is not a case of coming to terms with the past. That is not possible. It cannot be subsequently modified or undone." - Richard von Weizsaecker**_

After that day, Elena's life was never quite how she imagined it would be. Not even before Stefan and Damon had come to Mystic Falls and changed everything. When she left, it was the beginning of November and the first semester of her senior year of high school was almost over and she couldn't just drop out, but she couldn't go back to Mystic Falls High either. So she had to make a decision. She knew it would probably come back to haunt her, but she saw no other option. She contacted John, her biological father/uncle and asked him if she could stay with him for awhile. He was wary at first and with good reason. She and John had never been close. She had always thought he was an arrogant asshole. She liked him even less when she found out he was her father and it was no secret. But after explaining everything that had happened, he gave her an address and said she could stay with him as long as she needed. The address took her to an urban neighborhood in Durham, North Caroline. It shouldn't have been that much of a surprise. That was after all where Isobel had gone to college and where most of her research took place. She finished up her senior year there and then got a full ride scholarship to Columbia in New York for journalism, which is where she had been for a little over the last two years.

It had been very hard adjusting to living with John in Durham at first. She missed Mystic Falls. She missed Bonnie, Matt, Caroline, Jenna, Jeremy, Alaric and hell, she even missed Tyler's cocky self. And of course, she missed Damon. She couldn't lie to herself. Jenna had been very confused and against it when Elena told her what she was doing. She didn't understand it at all so Alaric told Jenna everything. About vampires, werewolves, witches, everything. Alaric told her that Jenna had a hard time accepting it at first, but she did and she let Elena stay with John. They packed up her stuff (she wasn't going back to get it) and brought it to Durham. She still talked to everyone on a regular basis, though she rarely saw them. Jeremy, Jenna and Alaric came up to Columbia a couple of times to see how's she doing and Caroline, Bonnie, Matt and Tyler even came too. Caroline and Tyler had started dating not long after Elena left, after she helped him through his horrifying first transformation, since he had triggered the curse. It was nice to see those two happy together. Bonnie had started dating another witch named Luka, who seemed to make her very happy. Matt as far as Elena knew was still single but was certainly living it up at Duke, having gotten a full football scholarship. Caroline and Tyler haven't settled down yet, and instead travel throughout most of the world, exploring. Neither of them were aging so they couldn't stay in one place for long. Bonnie got accepted to the University of Washington for Nursing. Jeremy started his first year at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida for film editing, shocking a lot of people. But he seemed to love it so they all accepted it.

The one person she never asked about and no one ever volunteered information for was Damon. She didn't want to know how he was doing. She didn't want to know if he had gone back to his usual self after she left, or if he was hurt by Elena leaving. She wanted a new life and she got one. She was going to an Ivy League college for something she loved doing, she had tons of friends and she even had a boyfriend named Conner, who she had fallen in love with at Columbia halfway through her first year.

Conner was nothing like Damon or Stefan and that's what had attracted her to him. When she looked at Conner, she saw nothing familiar. His messy blonde hair, tan skin and always shining, chocolately brown eyes held no resemblance to either of the Salvatore's and his personality was just as different as his looks. He wasn't brooding or cocky, he wasn't dangerous or poetic. He was upbeat, happy, kind, loved surfing, writing and playing guitar. He said he had never really liked to write until he was in his senior year of high school in California and had to take a writing course. He enjoyed it so much he decided to apply to Columbia. They gave him a full ride scholarship, just like they gave her.

Conner made her feel alive again after everything that had happen. He made her stomach flutter whenever she saw him and blush whenever he caught her looking at him in class. He made her feel like a giddy school girl. At first, she wasn't sure if she liked him or the idea of liking him. Luckily, they had a mutual friend and her and Conner started to hang out a lot together. She really began to like him and he liked her back. She felt guilty at first. How could she like this blonde haired boy when just a year and a half ago she was heart broken over two other very different guys? And then she realized something: she needed to let the past be the past. She would not be heart broken forever. She needed to move on.

And so she did. Her and Conner began to date and she really fell in love with him. He fell in love with her too, but not the real Elena. He fell in love with the new Elena. The Elena who lost both of her parents years ago and then lost her boyfriend. The Elena that went to live with her uncle for an escape. Simple, tragic, lost Elena. Would he love her if he knew what actually happened?

She didn't like to think about that, so she didn't.

She had a new life and despite everything, she loved her new life.

She loved Conner and her friends and her writing.

This life was different from her old life. Witches, werewolves, vampires and doppelgangers weren't real in this life.

But there was always a gray lining in Elena's head because all of that _did_ exist and her best friend _was_ a witch and her other friend _was_ a vampire with a werewolf boyfriend and she _was_ the doppelganger of Katherine Pierce. And then something else always stopped her from completely loving her new life. Elijah still needed her for the sun and the moon curse and Damon was still out there somewhere.

And then of course the nightmares didn't go away either.

They happened a lot.

Like tonight.

She woke up gasping, sweat pouring down her face.

Conner stirred beside her before sitting up and blinking his big brown eyes.

He wrapped his arms around her and told her everything would be okay, just like he always did.

The nightmares had been happening more frequently lately, due to some disturbing news.

About a month ago, Jenna called Elena telling her that Alaric and her were getting married and she wanted her to be her maid of honor. Elena had been hesitant accepting because the wedding was going to be in Mystic Falls. She almost declined but she couldn't do that. Jenna had taken her in after her parents had died and Elena loved Jenna too much to decline. She had even planned the wedding over Thanksgiving break so Elena could come. She could suck it up and go to Mystic Falls for a couple of days she had told herself. She would suck it up.

Her and Conner were leaving first thing in the morning to fly there.

And right now, Elena didn't feel like she could do it. She felt like going back there was impossible. And what had she been thinking asking Conner to come with her? Was she insane? Mystic Falls was much too dangerous to bring him. For God's sake, if anything happened to him, she wouldn't recover.

She leaned into his chest, breathing in the familiar scent of him. "This is a mistake Conner," she whispered.

He squeezed her tight. "Its not."

"I can't go back there," she said, squeezing her eyes tight.

"You can, Elena, you can," he said, comfortingly. "You can't let what happened there dictate your life. That was your home. It _is_ your home. Your past can't keep you from going home."

Oh Conner, sweet, understanding, clueless Conner.

Elena wished she could tell Conner exactly why she didn't want to go back there. She wanted to tell him about Stefan and Damon and Katherine and Elijah but she knew she couldn't. She never would be able to.

"I know," she whispered instead.

"And anyways," he said, voice more upbeat. "We're only going for a couple days and I'm excited to meet all of your friends."

Everyone was coming to the wedding. Caroline, Jeremy, Tyler, Bonnie, everyone. Even Matt was coming.

Elena had to admit, she was excited to see all of her friends and for everyone to meet Conner. Maybe it would be nice for her new life to meet her old life, if only for a couple of days. It would be like the old half and the new coming together, making her whole again. But she also had to worry about them coming together and the chaos it could cause.

But she couldn't explain any of that to Conner so she just kissed him and said, "They're going to love you. Just like I do."

He smiled his sweet, boyish smile at her and said, "I hope so. Now go back to sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow. And I love you too."

She kissed him again and rolled over on her side, his arm draped lazily around her waist.

Seven came early and she was less than happy to get up and head to the airport, which was packed. But of course, it was New York City after all so it would be and she had gotten use to it. She remembered a time when this much activity would have scared the life out of her. Now it was just another part of her new life.

They boarded the plane around 9 and the plane didn't leave until around 10:30, much to Elena's annoyance. As much as she didn't want to go to Mystic Falls, waiting to go was even worse, if that even made sense.

Once they were up in the air, Elena's nerves began to run wild and when a vampire romance movie came on of all things, she nearly threw up. She went to the tiny bathroom towards the back of the plane and stared at herself in the mirror.

After she first left, she could hardly look in the mirror. All she saw was Katherine. All she saw was herself kissing Damon was Stefan was being murdered. The guilt and anger made her sick every time she looked at herself.

Months later, after deciding she wasn't going to let the guilt and anger dictate the rest of her life, she decided to make some changes. She cut her long hair up to her shoulders and had highlights put in it, so when she looked at herself, she saw Elena and not Katherine. She often wore it curly but not those long perfect barrel curls Katherine had. She wore them larger and looser. She no longer saw Katherine when she looked at herself in the mirror.

She went back to her seat and thankfully Conner had turned off the movie and was giving her a worried look.

"You alright?" he asked.

She shrugged and took a sip from the water bottle they had given her. "Just nervous," she said, trying to sound fine.

He didn't buy it. "I know you're nervous," he said. "But I promise everything will be okay. Its going to be amazing getting to see all of your friends again."

She smiled at him and laid her head on his shoulder.

The flight didn't take long at all and before she knew it they arrived in Richmond, Virginia. They got off the plane and found the taxi Jenna had told them would be waiting for them. Her heart began to beat faster as her surroundings became familiar and Conner squeezed her hand. Not that much later, they saw the sign welcoming them to Mystic Falls and Elena could hardly breath as she passed the high school and the grill. Not much had changed in the last 3 years, except for her.

And then the taxi pulled up in front of her home.

She took a few minutes just to stare at it. She hadn't realized in that moment how much she missed it here. She missed her home and her friends and the grill and the entire town.

"Its okay," Conner whispered in her ear.

She nodded and they began to get there bags out of the car.

Before they were finished, Jeremy, Alaric and Jenna all came out of the house, huge smiles on their face.

They all looked a little older, but overall they still looked like Elena's family. Her heart clenched as she saw them and tears filled her eyes, but not in a bad way. God she had missed them.

The gathered her up in a hug and she welcomed it.

"We're so happy you're home," Jenna said, tears filling up in her eyes.

Elena nodded. "Me too," she said, hugging her aunt.

"Nice to see you sis," Jeremy said, punching her arm slightly.

She squeezed her little brother half to death. "How's college?"

He shrugged. "Good."

She gave him a smile and a pointed look.

"Alright, alright," he said, smiling. "Its amazing."

"Its nice to see you again, Elena," Alaric said.

She smiled at her future uncle. "You too. I couldn't be more happier for both of you."

Conner stood there patiently, smiling at how happy Elena looked.

She went to him and he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"This is Conner," Elena said. "Conner this is my aunt Jenna, her fiancée Alaric and my little brother Jeremy."

They introduced themselves and began to bring their things into the house.

And for the first time in a long time, Elena thought maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.


	3. Chapter 3

**So here's the next chapter. Thanks for the reviews, again they mean so much! **

**So feel free to send me chapter ideas and quotes to go along! I had the story planned out until the next chapter, and while I do have some more major chapters, I do need some small, "fill in" chapters. Send me ideas and maybe you'll be reading one of your ideas in the next few upcoming chapters(: Lol I just said chapters like 5 times XP. Well, enjoy and review!**

"Because this is what happens when you try to run from the past. It just doesn't catch up, it overtakes … blotting out the future."- Sarah Dessen, _Just Listen_

Jeremy, Alaric and Jenna helped drag Conner and Elena's things into the house, more so Elena's than Conner's. Conner had only packed one small bag while Elena had picked three. Elena figured that if she was going to have to suffer, she was sure as hell going to pack everything she needed to suffer.

They carried everything up to Elena's old bedroom, which was set up a lot like her old room, but the colors and bedspread had been changed. All of her personal items had been taken to Durham and them Columbia.

She allowed herself a moment to remember everything that had happened in this bedroom. She used to write in her diary everyday after her parents died on that ledge. Bonnie, Caroline and herself had stayed up all night giggling and talking about boys most of her life in the bedroom floor. Matt used to sneak up to her bedroom in the middle of the night and make out on that bed. Her and Stefan had been together on that bed. She tried not to think about the last thing that happened on that bed.

She gasped and jumped as Conner wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I scare you?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, a little bit."

"Sorry," he said, kissing her neck.

She smiled. "Its okay," she said. She'd never thought she see Conner standing in her old bedroom. She never thought she would see Conner in Mystic Falls period. Funny how things work out.

"What are you thinking about?" Conner asked.

She sighed. How could she some in up in one sentence all the emotions she felt, all the thoughts buzzing in her head? She didn't know how. "Me…you…Mystic Falls…"

"Stefan," he said. It wasn't a question.

She nodded. "Sorry," she said, feeling guilty that she was thinking about her ex boyfriend while her current boyfriend had his arms wrapped around her waist. She knew it was a different circumstance but still… oh, she was all jumbled up. Being back in Mystic Falls was making her feel confused and stuck in the past, all over again.

He kissed her on the neck again, sweetly. She loved it when he did that. But was it because of the sweet gesture or was she just attracted to anything to do with her neck? She shied away from the question. It was certain, being back in Mystic Falls was screwing with her head.

"You don't have to apologize for thinking about him, Elena," Conner said, softly. "You loved him and you lost him. No one can blame you for missing him. Especially now that you're back in Mystic Falls where everything is so familiar and you have all of these memories of the two of you together."

His never wavering amount of compassion and understanding made her sick with guilt.

If it was okay to think about Stefan because she loved him and being in Mystic Falls brings back memories, what was her excuse for Damon? Did the same level of compassion and understanding apply to him too?

_Stop it, Elena._

Luckily, someone was having pity on her because Jeremy came in in that moment, saving her from having to respond. "Hey, we're going to the grill to get something for lunch," he said. "You guys coming?"

Elena hesitated but Conner said, "Sure," with a wide grin, his brown eyes shining.

The Grill hadn't changed much in the last three years. The lightning was still dim, casting a mysterious glow throughout the entire place. There was still tons of people gathered around, sitting at tables, drinking and talking. There was still that one guy sitting at the bar, drinking and looking sad. There was even a young waitress, who couldn't be more than 17 or 18 and Elena wondered if she went to Mystic Falls High. There was a cute boy cleaning off the tables, who also looked about 17 or 18 and kept giving the pretty brown haired waitress longing glances.

Elena smiled at the total normality of it.

It even reminded her of years ago when those two people would have been two people she knew, back when her life was all smiles, cheerleading and laughs.

She was so caught up in looking around that she didn't even notice two very familiar people running towards her, until they had knocked into her and squeezed her in a tight hug.

"Elena!" Caroline squealed.

She was in a Bonnie/Caroline sandwich, Elena being in the middle. She couldn't breath but she was so happy to see them, she didn't care; she squeezed them to death right back.

"Its so good to see you!"

"How have you been?"

"Where's that boy of yours?"

They were firing so many questions at her, she didn't have time to respond. Her overwhelmed expression made the questions stop. They all stared at each other for a second before busting out into laugher and hugging each other again. God she missed them so much.

"What are you guys doing here?" she asked, completely clueless.

They laughed and glanced behind their backs. She glanced over too and saw Tyler and Matt, smiling at her sheepishly. She turned around behind her and saw Conner, Alaric, Jeremy and Jenna all smiling sheepishly too.

"Am I being set up?" she asked, not quite able to be angry. Seeing all of them again, being back in the grill in Mystic Falls just felt so right she couldn't find it in herself to be angry for the surprise. Of course, there was a ever lingering emotion just under the surface of all that happy. One emotion that just wouldn't go away. No, take that back. There were tons of emotions lying underneath the surface. They were all just packed tight into one, dark haired, blue eyed guy.

"Come on," Caroline said, tugging her by the hand in the direction of Tyler and Matt.

She followed and with a wide smile, gave each boy a hug.

They hadn't changed a lot since the last time she saw them, but there certainly was some differences, even if they were small. For one, Matt was bigger. His arms, chest and overall _he_ was bigger, more bulky, muscular. Elena felt like she had to make her arms bigger just to wrap them around his broad shoulders. Of course, playing college football would most likely do that to you.

As for Tyler, it was much the same, though his muscles were more subtle, less obvious than Matt's. Elena wasn't that surprised though, because after all, Tyler was a werewolf. Elena hadn't been around the first time Tyler changed, so she didn't get to see him bulk up in a short amount of time, but she had seen after he changed the first time and she had been shocked. Other than the muscles, Tyler had a nice, golden tan and it made Elena wonder where he and Caroline had been exploring before they came here.

"Damn its good to see you!" Matt said, smiling his boyish, all-American smile that he had had all his life.

Elena laughed. "How's football treating you?"

Matt's smile grew wider, telling Elena how much he loved it without using words. "Its amazing," he said.

"You'll have to tell me about it," Elena said, genuinely curious. Matt had always loved football and Elena knew how much he must love playing it for college.

"Later," he said. "But today its all you."

Elena laughed, nervously. She may have loved being in the spotlight four or five years ago, but that was four or five years ago. Elena disliked the spotlight at this point in her life.

"So where's Conner?" Caroline asked, raising her eyebrow.

Hmm. Elena turned around and saw Conner, Jeremy, Jenna and Alaric watching them, a couple of feet behind. She guessed they were letting her reconnect with her friends. Conner gave her a wide smile when she looked at him. She motioned for them to come over.

Bonnie had met Conner once when they first started dating but no one else had.

"Conner," Elena said. "This is Matt… Caroline… you already know Bonnie… and Tyler."

Elena watched as they shook hands, or in Caroline's case, she gave him a huge hug, surprising him. He laughed sort of nervously, glanced at Elena, uncertain of how she would react to this but she gave him a smile and a wink, unaffected. If it had been five years ago, Elena wouldn't like Caroline hugging her boyfriend, but she knew that it was in a friendly manner. Once Tyler happened, Caroline just didn't see boys anymore. Matt simply shook his hand and said, "Nice to meet you." Elena didn't miss the way Matt looked at him. The days of Matt being jealous of her boyfriends were long over, but he was still protective of her, like she was his little sister. Tyler simply said hey and Bonnie said it was nice to see him again.

They all sat down at a table and talked, mostly about school, work, etc.

The conversation stayed light and no one dared mentioned the one name that Elena felt like everyone was thinking about, well probably everyone but Matt and Conner. Despite everything, Matt was still completely in the dark. Elena was happy for him. He could play football, get married and have a bunch of babies just like everyone should and not have to be worried about what lurks out there in the dark. Matt was a good guy and he certainly deserved it after the way he grew up: a absentee mother and uncontrollable sister.

As for Conner, he probably wasn't thinking about it because he didn't know the full story behind it. If anything, he would think she was thinking about Stefan.

Elena stayed quiet unless she was asked a direct question. She was too busy thinking about how weird it was seeing Conner talk to her old friends. She didn't dislike it or anything like that, not in the least actually. She liked watching the boys talk about football and Caroline talking to him about Santorini, Greece, the latest play she and Tyler had explored (and why Tyler was so tan). Elena remembered Conner telling her once that he had gone when he was younger and loved it.

She liked seeing her old life and new life together.

It made her feel whole again.

But of course, she couldn't have just parts of her old life. Being back here meant she would have to face all of it.

She would have to face her past and the horror and guilt that came along with it.

She knew this as soon as she saw _him_ walking through the doors.

**Cue the music….**


	4. Chapter 4

**Yes, I know, that cliffhanger was extremely evil and I apologize. Take this as my formal apology :D**

"She had come back into his life like a sudden flame, blazing and streaming into his heart."-Duke, The Notebook

Elena felt her heart beat pick up and she stopped breathing.

Damon Salvatore was standing not ten yards away from her.

Damon Salvatore, who she feared, who saved her, who she hated, who she loved, who she never wanted to see again, who she needed with her, who she thought about everyday when she woke up, who she thought about every night when she closed her eyes, who she dreamt of every night, who she had a photo of, a photo that she kept secret between the pages of her diary and looked at every chance she got. Damon Salvatore, the reason she had left, the reason why she had never wanted to come back, the reason why she wanted to come back, the reason why she couldn't be immensely happy in her new life.

_The reason. _

She couldn't think, she couldn't breath. Everything around her went fuzzy and all there was was Damon Salvatore. Conner…Bonnie…Jenna… they no longer existed. They were no longer sitting at the same table with her, nor was Tyler, Matt, Caroline, Jeremy or Alaric. The pretty waitress… the waiter… the sad man at the bar… the other people sitting and eating… they just weren't there.

In that single second, she let every emotion that she had kept buried for the last three years rise to the surface.

Regret, anger, guilt, want, need… it all rose until she was sure she would choke on the overwhelming feelings.

In that single second, she couldn't think of why she left Mystic Falls in the first place. She knew why she left: because of Stefan, but why did she leave? Why did she leave Damon?

Anger- at herself- for leaving.

Guilt for telling him she loved him and leaving.

Guilt for pretending like he didn't exist, like her old life didn't exist, guilt for falling in love with the boy beside her, guilt for feeling guilty for loving the boy beside her.

Wanting him, needing him…

All of these thoughts came and went in less than ten seconds and he hadn't seen her yet.

"Are you okay?" Conner asked, touching her arm slightly. Everyone at the table turned to her, to see what Conner was talking about. "Elena?"

Elena currently wasn't there at the moment.

Damon must have heard Conner say her name, because his eyes instantly went to the sound of his voice.

He locked eyes with her.

Neither of them moved for what felt like an eternity, but was rather less than a minute.

Elena distantly heard Conner asking if she was alright again, but she didn't respond. She couldn't respond. She was waiting for Damon's reaction to seeing her.

Seconds ticked by, feeling like hours until Damon finally did something.

He blinked, turned around and left.

Elena didn't know how to react.

Should she go after him? Should she try and talk to him? Should she pretend like she hadn't seen him and make up an excuse for the few moments she must have looked like she'd seen a ghost? _Could_ she just pretend like that didn't happen?

"Elena," Jenna said.

Jenna's tone of voice was different from Conner's. Conner's had simply been worry. Jenna's was knowing. She had seen Damon to and must have realized why Elena was so… _entranced. _

She turned her attention to Jenna, ignoring everyone else. They had all seen Damon too and were all wearing the same facial expression, except for Conner and Matt, just as before.

It was no secret why she left Mystic Falls.

"I-" Elena tried to think of something to say. "I'll… be right back."

**Damon's POV**

Damon paced back and forth outside of the entrance of The Grill.

Elena was inside there.

Elena. Was. In. There.

He hadn't seen her in years and suddenly she was there, not ten yards from him.

_She must be back for the wedding_, he thought, rubbing his hands across his face. He had figured she wouldn't have come. She hadn't been back in this town in three years.

Seeing her again was like a slap across the face.

She hadn't changed that much in the last three years. Her hair was shorter and a little lighter, waving to her shoulders but she was still the girl he loved. She still wore that damn necklace Stefan had given her to protect her from himself. She still had those deep brown eyes and pouty lips. She still had that always present thoughtful look on her face.

Why the hell was he outside and not in there?

He had spent the first year she was gone searching for her, needing her back. He knew everyone knew where she was but no one would tell him. That had infuriated him. He contemplated threatening a massacre of the town until he realized something painful. He didn't know where she was because she didn't want him to know where she was. She didn't want him with her.

That had hurt more than Damon thought was possible.

More than thinking Katherine had been killed, more than ingesting vervain, more than going out in the sunlight without his ring, more than finding out Katherine wasn't in the tomb, more than Katherine telling him she had never loved him, more than seeing his little brother staked to a wall.

It hurt so much more because he knew that Elena loved him.

It hurt because he knew that if he hadn't gone to her house that night, she would never have kissed him and maybe Stefan would be alive.

It hurt because Elena knew the exact same thing and that was why she left.

He knew she was feeling immense guilt, but damn it, so was he and he never would have left her because of the guilt he felt.

God, he was confused whether to be happy to see her or pissed as hell.

He was currently feeling both.

That was another thing that made him so mad at her… ever since she came into his life, he couldn't turn his emotions off. It was like that switch that all vampires were entitled to was just gone. She had taken it and then left, leaving him without an easy, painless escape.

Of course, he could have gone out and murdered the entire town, just like he probably would have done if he turned off that switch, but with it on, he felt guilty.

He hated feeling.

He smelt her before he saw her.

That sweet, intoxicating scent of her- not her blood- filled the air and he knew she was about to come outside. It gave him just a few seconds to compose his face and turn around just as the door was opening.

She stepped out and neither of them said anything for what felt like awhile.

Seeing her again was…

"Elena," he said, voice lacking all emotion.

She blinked and looked down at her feet. She looked back up at him again and he couldn't read the emotion in her eyes and it frustrated him.

"Hey Damon," she said, quietly.

He hated how all he wanted to do was grab her and kiss her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, though he knew the answer. He hated small talk but figured the subject was safe.

"Jenna's wedding," Elena said, an eyebrow raising slightly, like she was surprised he would even ask. She knew that he knew why she was here and he was simply making small conversation because he didn't know else to say. And he hated that she knew that.

He hated a lot of things at this point in time.

"I'm the bride's maid," she went on.

He couldn't stop his eyes from widening at this little piece of information.

"What?" she asked.

He allowed himself to smile, though it was sarcastic and fake. "Looks like we're going to be walking down the isle together."

Elena's eyes widen and shocked, she asked, "What?"

"I'm the best man."

He almost laughed at the complete and utter shock on her face. It really was priceless.

She opened her mouth to say something before closing it again, her eyebrows furrowing. "He asked you to be the best man?" she asked, skeptically.

"Well, I didn't compel him so yes," Damon said, sarcastically.

"Oh," she said, looking down at her feet. She kept shuffling them like she wanted to say more but didn't know how to.

After a few seconds she looked up at him. "Damon," she said and he knew where it was leading.

"No, Elena," Damon said, shaking his head. "Stop."

"But-"

"No," he said, coldly. "Just stop. I don't want to talk about this. Not right now, not here."

"When then?" she asked, looking desperate.

"What is there even to talk about?"

"You _know_," she said.

"No, I don't," he said, anger evident in his tone. "Time for talking is long over. You left. I didn't expect to ever see you again, nor can I say I wanted to."

The last part was a complete lie, but he wanted to see her hurt like he had been. Of course, actually seeing the look of hurt on her face his words caused only made him feel worse, making him angry for feeling bad about hurting her. She had caused him a world of pain. Didn't she deserve some too?

"I know what I did hurt you," she said, staring at him with those big brown eyes, like she was looking directly into his soul, making him feel itchy. "I could apologize but I know it wouldn't take back anything, but I feel like I still should say it. Damon, I am so-"

"Damon!" a familiar female called.

_Oh no_, Damon thought, suddenly feeling sick.. Which was impossible because technically he was dead.

They both turned to see a tall, brown haired woman walking towards him in tall heels and a business skirt and shirt set. It hugged her in all the right places.

She walked up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek, causing Elena to nearly fall over in shock.

Damon plastered on a fake smile. This couldn't get any worse.

"Hello," she said, turning to Elena, smiling.

"Hello," Elena said, hesitantly, staring at the woman.

She reached out her hand to Elena and said, "I'm Andi, Damon's girlfriend."

Damon winced at the look on Elena's face.

**Elena's POV**

Damon? A girlfriend?

This woman had to be on some kind of drugs or something. Damon Salvatore didn't do girlfriends. He was more of a take, compel, drain and drop them type. He certainly wouldn't have a girlfriend, a human girlfriend at that. There was no denying that Andi was human. Maybe he had compelled her to think that and he used her as a meal. But Andi had no bite marks anywhere on her tan neck or wrists. Elena could see not a single bite mark anywhere on the woman.

Jealously washed through her.

Damon had a girlfriend.

That shouldn't make her mad. She had a boyfriend.

But she was Elena and he was Damon and circumstances were very different.

"I'm Elena," she said, shaking her hand.

Andi's white smile faltered. "Elena?" she asked, looking at Damon with wide eyes. "Elena Gilbert?"

Elena's eyebrows furrowed. How the hell did Andi know who she was?

Damon nodded once and looked off to the side, avoiding both of the women in front of him.

"Well," Andi said, her eyes turning to displeasure as she looked at Elena. "This should be interesting."

As if things couldn't get any better, at that exact moment Conner walked through the door.

"Elena," he said, worriedly. "What's going on?"

**Thanks for all the reviews and to those of you who are also reading On A Fault Line, be patient, I am working on the chapter right now. I don't want to rush it and it come out sounding horrible!**

**R & R!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I can't say I'm completely satisfied with this chapter, but it'll do. The next one will be better(: I know a lot of you are getting annoyed with Elena, but please, be patient. I know that's hard to do because I would feel the exact same way if I didn't know how the story was going to play out but just try(: R & R**

"Love sees sharply, hatred sees even more sharp, but jealousy sees the sharpest for it is love and hate at the same time"- Arab Proverb quotes,

_Oh no, Conner_, Elena thought, panic setting in. _Please go back inside._

While Elena didn't think that Damon would hurt Conner right out in the middle of daylight, with a ton of people around, Conner being in the same city, let alone a few feet away from Damon still made her stomach do flips.

Conner walked up to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Are you okay?" he asked, quietly, ignoring the two other people a few feet away from them.

Elena pulled in a shaking breath as she saw Damon's eyes go livid for a fraction of a second before he got it under control, coldness chasing away all that heat. Elena had seen Damon's eyes with that much anger in them before, and it usually resulted in death. She stepped in front of Conner just the slightest, trying to be subtle about it. Damon saw her do it and she saw another streak of anger go through his eyes. Elena didn't take her eyes off of Damon while she answered Conner.

"I'm fine," she said, praying her voice didn't shake. "Just talking to some people I know."

She had no idea who Andi was but she wasn't about to explain all of that to Conner. He seemed to notice the two other people for the first time and turned to them.

Conner reached out a hand to Damon and Elena almost yanked it back, but she knew she couldn't do that without raising some serious suspicion so she watched in what felt like slow motion as Damon reached out a hand, shaking Conner's.

"I'm Conner, Elena's boyfriend " he said, politely, oblivious to the look Damon was giving him.

"Damon," Damon said, emotionless.

Conner moved on to Andi.

"Andi," she said, a tight smile on her face. It hinted that she knew a lot more than what she was letting on. Elena certainly was curious about this woman and how she knew her.

Conner glanced at everyone. "So are you guys old friends or something?"

"Oh," Damon said, a smile lightning up his face. It looked like the smile of a predator who was watching his oblivious prey. "Elena and I go way back."

"Really?" Conner asked, clueless.

Damon nodded.

"Damon was Stefan's older brother," Elena said, quietly.

"Oh," Conner said, his easy smile fading. "I'm sorry."

Damon's eyes flashed again before he recovered.

"Yes," he said. "It was very tragic."

Elena could see exactly what he was going. He was trying to screw up whatever she had told Conner about how Stefan had died because of course, she had lied to him. She could have never told Conner what really happened and Damon knew that.

But luckily for her, Damon messed up nothing.

"Yeah," Conner said, nodding understandingly. "My older sister was hit by a drunk driver too. Its messed up."

"Yeah," Damon said, looking at Elena. "Very messed up."

"But I'm sure they're both in a better place now," Conner said, his never ending optimism shining in his eyes.

Conner was much too good of a person to be with her. She was dangerous to his health.

Damon smiled. Only Elena saw that it was an amused smile. "I bet so," he said.

Conner turned to Andi. "Did you know Stefan?"

She smiled sadly. "I never got the pleasure. I met Damon a little over a year after he died."

"Oh," Conner said, looking down at his feet.

Elena tugged on his arm, desperate to get away from this situation. Someone was looking out for her because Conner was still in one piece and breathing, but she didn't want to chance it. She wanted Conner far, far away from Damon.

"Come on, Conner," Elena said, tugging his arm. "Everyone's probably wondering where we are."

"Okay," Conner said. They turned to leave and Conner turned back to Damon and Andi. "Hey why don't you guys join us?"

_Damn it, Conner!_

Andi frowned and opened her mouth, obviously about to decline but Damon spoke before any words came out of her red glossed lips. "We'd love to," he said, smiling, his eyes gleaming.

Everyone's eyes (everyone's but Alaric's and Jenna's, which Elena would certainly question them about later) seemed to pop out as Conner and Elena walked to the table hand in hand, with Andi and Damon, also hand in hand behind them. Elena tried to convince herself that she had absolutely no right to feel the white hot jealously burning through her at the sight of them holding hands. She had Damon, she left. Her fault. End of story.

Bonnie, Jenna and Tyler all glared at Damon. Alaric patted Jenna on the back and Caroline put a hand on Tyler's shoulder, literally restraining him. Tyler probably liked Damon the least out of them all. After all, Damon did murder Mason. From what Caroline had told her, she told Tyler everything not long after his first transformation and he had been ready to murder Damon. Of course, she had told Tyler that Damon would snap his neck before he could even attempt anything. Tyler may have supernatural powers just like Damon, but Damon had quiet a few years on him.

Elena and Conner sat back down and Elena thanked whoever seemed to be looking out for her today that Conner had chosen the seat beside Bonnie. Bonnie could have Damon down in half a second if he tried anything. Again, she highly doubted he would do anything, but the thought was still lurking in her mind. Elena gave Bonnie a look, to which she nodded in full understatement.

Andi and Damon pulled up a chair and sat between Jeremy and Alaric, far from Tyler, Elena and Conner.

"Damon, nice to see you again," Caroline said, smiling half heartedly.

Damon gave her a smile and you could practically see the veins in Tyler's forehead sticking out.

Damon gave him a wicked smile.

Caroline wrapped her other arm around his waist, holding him tight in place. If a random person were to see them, it would simply look like Caroline was showing him affection.

"Its so nice seeing all of you again," Damon said, smiling his famous smile. "I'd like you to introduce you to Andi, my girlfriend."

If the situation hadn't been so awkward and potentially dangerous, Elena would have laughed at the look on everyone's faces. Even Tyler had momentarily forgotten how he wanted to kill Damon and surprise was written all over his face.

Bonnie choked on the tea she had been drinking and she heard Conner ask her if she was okay.

Caroline's blue eyes were as wide as golf balls and she let her hands fall from Tyler.

"You're kidding me right?" Jeremy asked, laughing.

Andi cleared her throat and looked down at her lap, lips pressed tightly together while everyone else seemed to avert their eyes. Of course, Elena was willing to bet that almost everyone else was thinking the same thing and Jeremy was the only one comfortable (or stupid) enough to actually ask it out loud. She certainly was dying to know details.

"Actually, no I'm not," Damon said, cocking his head to the side.

Jeremy's smile faded and he cleared his throat and furrowed his eyebrows, looking uncomfortable. "Oh, well um… congratulations." The way he said it made it sound like a question.

It was awkwardly silent for a few seconds before- thank you- Caroline broke it, trying to sound like this entire meeting wasn't extremely awkward and weird. "So Bonnie," she said, turning to the witch and smiling. "When do we get to meet Luka?"

Bonnie smiled down at her tea, twirling the ice cubes around in a circle and blushed slightly. Bonnie had always been the shyest out of the three of them- Elena, Bonnie and Caroline. Before her parent's died, Elena had been a lot like Caroline was in the beginning- loud, fun and unpredictable. She felt guilty for even thinking it, but she was a little less… promiscuous? She wasn't so outright with her feelings about guys, especially not with Matt, but she still wasn't exactly shy either. Bonnie was always the shy one who didn't really like to talk about her relationships.

"Soon," she said. "He should be getting into town tomorrow just in time for Thanksgiving."

Caroline smiled and clapped. "Good!" she said, enthusiastically. "I want to meet him!"

Elena didn't miss the scowl Jeremy gave his drink. Elena had always expected that Jeremy had feelings for Bonnie, but she figured they would have died a long time ago. _Guess not_, she thought.

"Are you having Thanksgiving with your father?" Jenna asked.

Bonnie's smile faded and she looked down at the table. "Um no," she said, trying to sound like it didn't bother her. "He's traveling so it'll just be Luka and I."

"Well you're always welcome at our house," Jenna said, smiling. "That goes for you too Matt."

Matt smiled gratefully and Elena felt a twinge of sadness. Elena's life was seriously messed up, but at least she knew that she had family she could count on. Matt had them, and after Vicky died, his mother left, leaving him alone once again.

The next hour wasn't fun at all. Elena tried to fake a smile and seem okay sitting at the table, but it was all just an act. She couldn't have been less than fine. She thought nothing could hurt more than seeing Damon again but god had she been wrong. Seeing him with someone else hurt so much more. She was happy for Damon in a way. She was happy that he seemed to like this Andi girl. Damon was a great person (well, vampire) and he deserved to be happy. She was glad he way happy, but it still hurt her seeing him with someone else. She hated feeling that because _she had left him. _She didn't have the right to be jealous. She was with Conner. She shouldn't feel any type of jealously.

But like memories, emotions don't care either.

Elena excused herself after awhile and went to the bathroom.

A few mintues later Jenna came in.

"You okay?" she asked, knowingly.

_No_, Elena thought. But she wasn't going to say that. "I'm fine," she said, trying to sound convincing.

Jenna gave her a look that Elena knew said "I don't believe you and I won't push right now, but we are going to talk about it."

"So I'm going to guess that right now isn't a good time to tell you that you need to go get a few last minutes adjustment made to your Made of Honor dress in about two hours?"


	6. Chapter 6

**So here's the next chapter! I pretty much have the next one written so it'll be up sometime tomorrow! **

**This chapter doesn't have any action in it but I hope you still like it.**

**I'd like to thank kat because your reviews never cease to either amuse me (in a good way) or inspire me in some way! Thanks for following both of my stories! **

**R & R**

"What was left when that fire was gone?I thought it felt right but that right was wrong/All caught up in the eye of the storm/And trying to figure out what it's like moving on"- "Waiting For The End", Linkin Park **(Awesome song, listen to it if you haven't!)**

Elena hated bridesmaid's dresses. They were generally ugly and the bride did this on purpose so she would look better. Hopefully, Jenna did not do that and Elena wouldn't have to walk down the isle (with Damon) in a hoop skirt with ruffles. Elena really didn't think Jenna would do that, but she couldn't get the image of her wearing something atrocious out of her mind as they wandered into the bridal shop, which also sold bridesmaid dresses. When Jenna called asking Elena, Elena gave her her size and all of that but she still needed to make sure it fit perfectly and if it needed a few last minute adjustments.

They were taken back as soon as they sat down and Elena was instantly told to strip.

Elena felt only mildly uncomfortable being half naked in front of her aunt and the seamstress, who thankfully was a girl. She handed her a slip and Elena slipped it on thankfully.

"So are we going to talk now?" Jenna asked, sitting down in the chair in the corner.

Elena crossed her arms over her chest. "About what?" she asked, though she knew.

"Damon," Jenna said, using that "adult" tone.

"There's nothing to talk about," Elena said, stubbornly.

Jenna rolled her eyes. "Oh come on," Jenna said, eyeing her. "There's plenty to talk about."

"Like what Jenna?" Elena asked, sighing. "That I can't stand seeing him with another girl? I can't. That all I could think about while we were sitting at the table was the one night we were together? Because I was. You're right, I could say that but I shouldn't because I don't have the right to say that. _I left him_, not the other way around. _I_ chose to have no contact with over for three years. I chose to start dating Conner. Me. I set all of this in motion the moment I left. How can I blame him for trying to be happy?"

Jenna got that facial expression she got when she knew she had been right and she felt accomplished. "Do you regret leaving?" she asked, knowing the real answer, whether Elena would let the words come from her mouth or not.

"Yes…no… I don't know!" Elena said, throwing her arms up in frustration. "When I left, it was because I felt like that's what should have been done. That was the right thing. And over the last few years, I still felt that."

"You felt that, or you made yourself feel that?" Jenna asked.

Elena wasn't able to answer because a woman came in, carrying a white bag with a hanger protruding from the top. Elena prayed there was no ruffles.

She watched in semi horror as the woman unzipped the bag and pulled out the dress.

Whew!

It was actually very pretty.

It was strapless with a fitted bodice and a short picked up skirt. It was a deep purple that Elena thought was positively gorgeous. She knew it was satin without even touching it.

**(Here's the link to the dress! Man, was it hard to find a pretty dress. Most of those things are hideous! Make sure you turn it to a purple color called Regency! .com/Product_Short-Strapless-Pick-Up-Dress-84091_Bridal-Party-Bridesmaids-All-Bridesmaid-Dresses)**

Jenna laughed as relief flushed Elena's face and turned to awe. "What were you expecting?" she asked. "Something with ruffles?"

Elena blushed and laughed. "I had no idea what to expect, but I've seen _27 Dresses _so I was a little scared."

The woman helped Elena into it, but not before she instructed her to remove her bra.

_Oh god. Thank you slip._

The dress fit almost perfectly. It was a little loose right around the waist and the woman instructed the seamstress of what to do.

"You look gorgeous," Jenna said, smugly at her dress choice.

"Not as much as you'll be," Elena said, though she hadn't seen the dress yet. Well, not on Jenna. Jenna had emailed her plenty of photos of it and it was beyond gorgeous.

"So are you going to answer the question?" Jenna asked.

_Damn._

"That depends," Elena said, trying to buy some time.

"On?"

"What the question was."

Elena was almost 100% that if she hadn't been in the dress, Jenna would have picked up the bridal magazine in the magazine wrack and thrown it at her head.

"You know what the question was," she said.

Elena sighed. "I don't know," she said, simply. "I thought I was happy with Conner. I _am_ happy with Conner. I love everything about him."

"You love everything he's not," Jenna said, way to observant for Elena's taste. "You love him because he is nothing like Damon or Stefan."

"You barely know him," Elena said, though Jenna was dead on. "He could be everything like them."

Jenna gave her a "yeah right" look. "Elena, come on. Conner isn't cocky or arrogant like Damon. He isn't deep and brooding like Stefan was. He doesn't even look like either of them."

Elena looked down at her toes. "Is that so wrong?"

"No," Jenna said.

"So why does it feel like it is?"

"Maybe because you still love Damon," Jenna said, simply.

"Damon and I are over," Elena said. She hated how her heart ached because of the words. Her and Damon had been over a long time. Come to think of it, they had never been anything. They didn't get the chance, which was her choice.

"Says who?" Jenna asked.

Elena gave her aunt a look. One that said "have you lost your mind?" "I don't know if you've noticed Jenna, but Damon has a girlfriend ad I have a boyfriend. And that's because I left after his brother died. Damon won't forgive me."

"Who says he already hasn't?"

"Do you know something you aren't telling me?"

"No," Jenna said. "Okay, listen. I don't like Damon all that much. I think he is an ass but I also think that he has something more to him. I don't think he's an ass through and through. I mean, Alaric likes Damon after everything that he has done. If Alaric can like and trust him, then Damon has something that makes him worth liking and trusting, even if he does his best to hide it."

"I know," Elena said, quietly.

"I think that if you love someone enough, you can forgive what they've done," Jenna said, simply.

"But what about Conner?"

"What about him?"

"I can't love him an love Damon," she said. "I mean, I know I can but I won't love Conner and want Damon. Its not right. They both deserve more than that."

Jenna sighed, not sure what to say to that. She glanced at the seamstress. "What do you think?" Jenna asked her. "What should she do?"

The seamstress looked at them both and smiled. "I think that you should really, really try to imagine your life without one of them and whichever life you just can't bare is the answer."

"Damn," Jenna said, leaning back in the chair. "We should have asked you from the beginning."

**Damon's POV**

"So what do you think about Elena being back in town?" Alaric asked from where he was sitting in the corner, while Damon got the last little tweaks of his tuxedo worked out.

"I think," Damon said, scrutinizing himself in the mirror, "that you should have told me Elena was coming back."

**(. ****ß Tuxedo)**

"I thought you knew," Alaric said, shrugging.

_Not exactly_, Damon thought.

"No actually I didn't," he said, adjusting the bow tie.

"Oh," Alaric said.

Damon turned to him. "Oh?" he asked. "_Oh? _You forget to tell me Elena is back and then you say _oh_?"

"She's not back, Damon," Alaric said. "She's leaving for Columbia Monday. She's only back for the wedding."

_Ouch. That hurt a little_, thought Damon, though he would rather bury himself alive than say it out loud.

Alaric studied Damon's face. "Does that bother you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

_Yes. _"No," Damon said. "Why would it?"

"Because you still love her."

"Do not," Damon said, rolling his eyes like that was the dumbest thing he'd ever heard.

"You do and you know it," Alaric said.

"Why would I still love her?" Damon asked, turning back to the mirror. "She left and hooked up with some random guy she knew nothing about."

"So did you," Alaric said.

Damon sighed, annoyed. "Only because she left," he said. "And why the hell should I not get to be happy?"

"Are you happy?"

Damon puffed out another annoyed sigh. "I wasn't aware we were playing twenty questions Ric."

Alaric stared at him, waiting for the answer.

"Yes I'm happy," Damon said, rolling his eyes. "Why wouldn't I be? I've got a hot girlfriend, a huge house, loads of money, I'm hot and I'm young- figuratively speaking."

"But you don't have Elena."

"Who says I need Elena to be happy?"

"You do," Alaric said.

"You know, Ric, you should have become a psychologist instead of a history teacher."

"And that's your problem," Alaric said, shaking his head.

"Okay, I'll bite," he said, smiling at his own pun. "What's my problem?"

"You love Elena, Elena loves you and there is absolutely nothing standing in your way of being with her and yet, you're here."

"If you haven't forgotten," Damon said, throwing Alaric a dirty work from the mirror. "I'm here because of your wedding. And as for Elena, she loves that Abercrombie Kids cover model _Conner_." He said his name like it was dirty.

"And?"

"And what?"

"You're Damon Salvatore," Alaric said, pointing out the obvious. "When you want something you get it."

"Who says I want her?"

"You know, you are the most difficult person I've ever met."

"Good."

"You better hope I don't spike the alcohol with vervain at the wedding," Alaric threatened.

"You wouldn't do that Ric," Damon said, giving him a six million dollar smile.

"Give me one good reason not to?"

"Well," Damon said, his eyes doing that thing that made him look clinically insane, "because I'd kill you."

Alaric held up his hand, showing off the ring.

"Like I couldn't rip that right off your finger."

"Really?"

"Really," Damon said, suddenly standing right in front of Alaric. Damon wouldn't actually hurt him, but threatening was too fun to pass up.

Knowing that, Alaric huffed and said, "I'm going to see if this place has any alcohol hidden anywhere."

Damon chuckled.

His smile faded though after Ric left and he couldn't help but think about every he'd said.

**Like I said, not much action but I thought it would be good to see both of their view points on the whole ordeal. **

**So I've decided that if I can get 20 reviews, I will fall over from happiness and you'll get 2 updates tomorrow!**

**And let me say, the next two chapters has TONS of Delena drama!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Heeeyyyy! Wow. I was astonished at all the reviews. I mean, I know I said if I got that many I'd update twice, but it still surprised me when I had more than twenty this morning! I'll probably get the next chapter up later tonight. I started writing this one at random yesterday in computer class so it was basically complete. I know what is going to happen in the next chapter, but it still will probably take an hour or so to write and then edit it. No worries though! You'll get it! R & R**

"Thanksgiving is so called because we are all so thankful that it only comes once a year."_ -P.J. O'Rourke _

Thanksgiving at the Gilbert household was always one full of happiness, lots of smiles and plenty of laughs. Elena's mom would always start cooking the actual meal the Wednesday before and spent all of Thursday cooking, right up until dinner time. She fiercely believed in being spirited and would decorate the house, turning it back in time to the pilgrims. Elena and Jeremy would help out while Jenna and their dad would watch football, endless yells and hollers coming from the living room. Elena and her mother had no interest in professional football- Elena's limit was watching Matt play and honestly, that was only because she was a cheerleader so she didn't really have a choice. If she hadn't been a cheerleader, she still probably would have but that's only because Matt played and it was her duty as a girlfriend to watch him. Jeremy had no patience for football or cooking, but Mom always told him it was either cook or "spend quality time with your aunt and dad." He always chose the first option. Her mother always invited an endless amount of people. Matt, Vicki, Bonnie, Caroline and neighbors and other friends always had an invitation. Matt and Vicki were always invited because 1.) Matt was her boyfriend and Vicki was Matt's sister and 2.) Not having family around, it would be a sad Thanksgiving for them. Bonnie's mom left when she was little and her dad traveled a lot, so he was gone a lot around that time. Caroline was much the way, though her mom wasn't traveling. It was worse because Liz was around, she just wasn't with Caroline and as for Caroline's dad, Caroline said she refused to go and pretend to be happy that her dad left them for another man. She said as far as she was concerned, she had nothing family-wise to be thankful for. Even Uncle John would come sometimes, though plenty of people weren't thankful for that, they'd still put a happy face and pretend to be for the sake of the holiday.

So everyone would always show up at their house and would help around the kitchen and/or bring food. They always had a lot of fun. Elena loved having everyone she loved around her and not to mention, the food was always awesome.

This was how Elena grew up and the Thanksgiving after her parent's died was sad. Of course, Stefan had been there so it had been a little bit better but it still wasn't the same. Not as many people showed up, most likely giving them space because it was the first Thanksgiving their parents weren't there. After Elena left, Thanksgiving hadn't been all that festive. It was more after she met Conner. They and a few other friends would usually cook and one year Conner took her home so she could meet his parents. It had been fun but it was still sad because Conner's sister was hit by a drunk driver while walking home from a friend's house one night when Conner was only 14.

So this Thanksgiving, everyone was going to be at the Gilbert house. Alaric of course was going to be, Caroline said that'd she and Tyler would come by after seeing his mother. She was going to go to her parent's house in Richmond for dinner, but was having something small for herself, Tyler and Caroline. Bonnie and Luka were going to come over too and Matt would be not long after them.

Jenna was rushing around frantically, trying to not burn the turkey or the stuffing, not over season the potatoes and was trying to will the peanut butter pie to freeze quicker. She had put it in a little too late and was praying everyone would be able to eat it when the time came. Jenna's mood seem to get worse and worse and Elena was desperately trying to help as much as she could, but she had to admit, she was becoming frazzled too. She tried to keep in mind that this was the first Thanksgiving Jenna had cooked like this one. She had cooked them before, but they had been for much less people.

Elena had a feeling that if anyone even mentioned the word "football" Jenna would hurt someone.

"Elena, can you check the pie in the freezer?" Jenna asked for the millionth time.

"I just checked it," Elena said.

"Well can you- DAMN IT!" Elena jumped and went to see what was wrong. Apparently Jenna had cut her finger on the knife while slicing up vegetables. She cursed loudly and went to the sink, rubbing it under warm water. She grabbed a paper towel and wrapped it around her finger, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Are you okay?" Elena asked, worriedly. She prayed Jenna didn't cut it deep enough to need stitches, because she might just have a breakdown. "Let me see."

Jenna sighed, holding out her finger. "I'm fine," she said, huffing. "I just wasn't paying attention."

Elena examined it. She wasn't a doctor, but it didn't look deep enough for stitches. She went to the cabinet and pulled out the first aid kit. She wrapped the gauze around Jenna's finger and circled it with tape.

"Better?" Elena asked, putting the kit away.

"Better," Jenna said, sighing.

She went back to chopping vegetables and Elena watched her closely. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Jenna said. "This is just more than a little stressing. And with the rehearsal dinner tomorrow and the wedding the next day… I'm just a little frazzled."

Elena felt guilty. Jenna planned the wedding so close to Thanksgiving so Elena could be there.

"I'm sorry," Elena said, feeling like she has been saying that a lot lately. "I know you planned the wedding on Saturday so I could be there."

"I want you there," Jenna said, smiling. "I _need_ you be there. Someone's gotta be there to make sure I actually get down the isle."

"You won't need any help," Elena said, honestly. "You'll be running once you see Alaric in his tux waiting for you."

Jenna suddenly got a really guilty look on her face and Elena instantly turned to suspicion. "Yeah, Elena about that…"

"I know Damon's the best man, if that's what's got you looking so guilty," Elena said. She was only slightly irritated that they had failed to inform her that she would be walking down the isle with Damon, but it wasn't like she could walk up to Alaric and tell him to get a new best man, so she had kept quiet about it.

"Well, that and-" Jenna began but was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Alaric, Conner and Jeremy had went to the store to pick up some last minute things, though Elena had no idea why it was necessary for all three of them to go. She had a feeling they just wanted to get away from Jenna.

She thought it was them who had came in, but not exactly.

"Whose bleeding?" an all too familiar voice asked, his seductive, sarcastic tone floating through the air, causing Elena to shiver slightly.

Her eyes widened, narrowed and then drifted to Jenna, who had "I'm sorry" written all over her face. "Alaric invited them," Jenna mouthed, knowing Damon would be able to hear her if she spoke the words out loud.

"Them?" Elena mouthed back. Oh great, Andi was joining them. Fan-freaking-tastic.

"Hmm?" Damon asked, walking through the kitchen opening, his hands holding a large bowl covered in silver wrap and Andi close behind. She was looking around, looking like she wanted to be anywhere but there. Elena couldn't agree with her more.

"That'd be me," Jenna said, raising the large knife up in her hand. "It slipped."

"Mmmm," Damon said. "Did your mother never teach you how to use a knife? Hello, Elena."

"Hello, Damon," Elena said, hoping the heat she felt was in her mind and not burning in her face. She nodded towards Andi, who looked beyond uncomfortable. "Andi."

Andi gave them both a small, uncomfortable smile and a weak hey.

"What do you have there?" Jenna asked, nodding in the direction of the dish.

"Pasta," Damon said. "It was my mother's recipe."

"I didn't know you cooked," Elena blurted out before she could stop herself.

Damon gave her a wicked smile and Andi said, "He's an excellent cook."

"Well good," Elena said, awkwardly. "You can help then. Jenna needs all the help she can get."

"Its true," Jenna said, not ashamed in the least.

"Can you cook Andi?" Elena asked, trying to be polite.

"A little," she said, uncertainly.

"I'll teach you," Damon said, flashing her a seductive smile. Andi blushed and nodded in response.

_Barf_, Elena thought, unsuccessfully squashing the jealously she felt surge up in herself.

Thankfully, she heard the door open again and Bonnie peaked around the corner.

"Hey!" Bonnie said. "Happy Thanksgiving."

"You too," every echoed.

"I came with a boy and food," Bonnie said just as a cute, dark skinned guy came in. He was taller than Bonnie with short brown hair and brown eyes, framed with long eyelashes. He walked with utter confidence and Elena could almost feel the power radiating from him.

Damon did too and was watching him carefully.

"Everyone this is Luka," Bonnie said, happily.

"Let's see if I can do this," Luka said, smiling slightly. He looked at Elena. "You're Elena, Bonnie's best friend."

"I am," Elena said, smiling.

He turned to Jenna. "You're Jenna, Elena's aunt."

"Yep," she said, looking impressed.

Luka glanced at Damon, cocking his head to the side. "Well, you're a vampire and I'm guessing you aren't Caroline, so you must be Damon."

"Guilty," he said.

"I've heard a lot about you," the warlock said, not sounding like it was a good thing.

"I'm sure you have," Damon said, doing that thing with his eyes again.

"I can't say any of it was good," Luka said, all traces of friendliness gone.

_Uh oh_, Elena thought. _A witch/vampire showdown would surely push Jenna over the edge_.

Damon licked his lips, amusement lighting up his face. "I wouldn't expect it to be."

"I can't say I know you," Luka said, glancing at Andi.

"Andi," she said. "Damon's girlfriend."

"Human," Luka noted. "Interesting."

Damon cocked his head to the side. "What was your last name again Luka? Maybe I've heard about your family."

"Martin and doubt it," Luka said. "My family isn't as… known as the Bennett's."

"Ahh," Damon said, looking accomplished.

"But don't mistake that as a sign that we are weak, because we aren't."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Damon said, a look of innocence coming onto his face.

Elena slammed the knife down on the counter, causing them all to look at her. "Conner, Alaric and Jeremy should be here soon," Elena said. "And Conner doesn't know about any of this."

"Right," Damon said, drawing out the word. "You're boyfriend doesn't know about any of this, does he?"

It might of just been her imagination, but she swore a hint of jealousy sounded as Damon said "boyfriend."

"He doesn't," Elena said. "And I'd like to keep it that way."

"My apologies," Luka said, looking genuine. "I'm not use to dealing with vampires on a daily basis. Especially one's who have tried to kill my girlfriend in the past."

Damon gave a wicked smile.

"So Bonnie, what did you bring?" Jenna asked, trying to prevent a fight.

"Nothing extravagant," Bonnie said. "Just brownies."

"Good," Jenna said, glancing at the freezer. "I'm lacking in the desert department."

After the close encounter between Luka and Damon, Jenna decided that no more small talk was necessary and she put everyone to work in the kitchen. Matt showed up not too much longer and before he came in, Elena reminded everyone in the room that Matt also was as clueless as Conner and wanted to keep it that way. After greetings, Jenna put him to work too. Finally, Conner, Alaric and Jeremy arrived, bringing food and soda with them. Elena thought she was Alaric sneak a bottle of vodka out of the bag and it was confirmed when he gave her a "don't tell Jenna" look. She laughed quietly to herself and nodded. Caroline and Tyler showed up just in time to help finish up the cooking and just a little bit after that, they were done and sat down to eat. There was twelve people so the table was pretty tight, only suppose to be seating eight.

"This looks amazing, Jenna," Caroline said, looking at the table covered in food.

"Thanks but if everyone hadn't brought food and helped, we'd probably all be eating pizza right now," Jenna said, seriously.

Elena didn't doubt it in the least.

"I guess you're suppose to say the blessing before you eat Thanksgiving meal," Jenna said, eyebrows scrunched together. "But we've never said it before so I guess we could all say what we're thankful for instead."

The eye rolls coming from Jeremy and Damon were almost audible.

"Who wants to go first?"

"I will!" Caroline chirped. "I'm thankful for being here with all of you. I'm glad that all of my friends are here in one place and all of the new people I've gotten the pleasure to meet. I'm thankful for my health and I'm so glad Elena's here. I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too!" Elena said, wanting to hug the vampire.

She really heard Damon roll his eyes this time.

Thanks were much the same, all about health and family and being together.

"What are you thankful for Damon?" Jenna asked, a semi evil smile lighting up her face.

"Well, Jenna," Damon said, leaning forward. "I'm thankful for my dashing good looks, my lovely girlfriend and the bottle of Vodka I saw Alaric sneak in."

Almost everyone chuckled while Alaric frowned at his best man. Jenna shook her head, laughing slightly at Damon. "Not exactly what I meant but okay. Elena?"

Great.

"Well," Elena said. "I'm thankful for Jenna who took me and Jer in after mom and dad died. I'm thankful for all my friends, who I trust with my life. I'm thankful for my health and to be here with everyone that I love."

She couldn't help but let her eyes wander to Damon, who was sitting just in front of her. She couldn't read the emotion in his eyes before quickly looking away, hoping no one had seen that.

"Well," Jenna said, looking at her. "Let's eat."

After eating, everyone had sort of ventured outside, wrapped up in sweaters and blankets. Of course, except for the vampires and werewolf. They were perfectly fine. Matt, Conner and Jeremy were all in the yard, throwing around a football, their breath visible from where everyone was sitting on the back porch.

Andi was sitting in Damon's lap, a blanket wrapped around her slim shoulders, her feat drawn up to her chest. His arms were wrapped tightly around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. Alaric and Jenna were sitting on the small outdoor loveseat. Elena was sitting beside Caroline, Tyler on Caroline's other side. Neither Caroline nor Tyler had a blanket.

"So what do you do Andi?" Caroline asked, always the polite one.

"I'm a reporter," she said, causing Elena nearly to choke on the hot chocolate she was drinking.

Even Caroline's always cheerful smile faded. "A reporter?" she asked.

"Mmhm," she said.

"Oh," Caroline said. "That's um..."

"You don't need to worry Caroline," Andi said, smiling genuinely. "You're secret is safe with me. All of your secrets are safe with me."

Damon smiled down and kissed her on the top of the head.

"Oh, I didn't mean-"

"Yes, you did," Andi said, not sounding offended. "Its okay. I understand your worry."

"Sorry," she said, shaking her blonde curls. "Its just that our last reporter wasn't so comfortable with the secrets here."

"I understand," she said.

Elena wasn't so convinced. Was Damon insane? Dating a reporter? She hoped he compelled her to keep the secret. If not, God help them all.

**A lot more will be revealed next chapter about Damon/Andi! And most of the chapter will be Damon/Elena finally having a real conversation!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry I updated so late! I didn't plan on making this chapter this long but decided I wanted to. So this one is full of tons of drama and I hope after this chapter you start liking Elena a bit more. I've been trying to make her less annoying and whiny and I think I did this chapter. At least I hope so. If not, I have no idea what else to do:/ So Damon and Elena finally talk about everything. There is about to be a really big twist in this story, and I really, really hope you like it because its what I've had planned from day one. R & R**

"I'm strong on the surface/ Not all the way through/ I've never been perfect/ But neither have you."- "Leave Out All The Rest," Linkin Park

The reception was at an Italian restaurant that had been built after Elena left, called Ciana's. It was fancy and very nice inside, with candlelight and tasteful colors and artwork on the wall. It was also huge, which was why Alaric and Jenna had decided to have the dinner there. Not a huge amount of people were coming, but Alaric's parents and brother and sister were, a few friends, as was Elena's grandmother and a few of Jenna's friends. Of course, and the usual group.

Jenna looked flustered saying hello to people and kept taking glasses of wine from waiters. Elena would have to keep a close eye on her.

Everyone was seated between three large tables and were talking, laughing, smiling.

Elena was sitting down at the table the "main family" was at. Jeremy was beside her and looking equally as miserable as she felt. Jeremy hated social gatherings just as much as she did, probably more. He grabbed a glass of champagne as the waiter walked past. He wasn't quite of age but she let in slide, grabbing one herself. She downed it in one gulp.

"Whoa," Jeremy said, looking at her, glass almost touching his lips. "When did you start drinking like that?"

"Now," Elena said, her eyes drifting to Damon, clad in a black button up shirt and black dress pants. He was talking to Caroline surprisingly. She wondered where Andi was.

Jeremy sighed and downed his.

"So where's Conner?" he asked.

"Why do you say his name like that?" she asked, noting the hint of dislike as he said Conner's name.

"I didn't say it like anything," Jeremy said, denying her accusation.

"Yes, you did."

"No."

"Jeremy."

"Fine," he said. "I don't know. I mean, Conner nice and all but…"

"But what?"

"I just don't think he's your type," he said, shrugging.

"My type?" Elena asked, eyebrows furrowed. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I've had two real boyfriends my whole life and they weren't exactly similar."

"True," he said. "But still. I just think Conner's too… innocent for you."

"Innocent?" she asked, fighting back a smile.

"Yup."

They sat in silence for a few moments.

"Can I say something?" he asked, the tone in his voice suggesting she wasn't going to like it.

"Do I really get a choice?" she asked.

"Nope."

"Then shoot."

"You're an idiot," he said, simply.

"Oh wow thanks Jer, love you too," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Aren't you curious why?" he asked.

"Enlighten me," she said, not wanting to hear it.

"Okay," he said, turning towards her. His expression was more serious than she thought she had ever seen. "First, you just took off after Stefan died without a glance back. Second, you go stay with Uncle John for Christ's sake. Third, you fall in love with _Conner_. Fourth-"

"Jeez how long is this list?" Elena interrupted.

"Don't interrupt," Jeremy said.

She held up her hands.

"Fourth, you completely pretend Damon didn't exist for the last three years, even after what happened between you two. Fifth, you come back and bring Conner. Sixth, you are sitting here, listening to me while you should be over there talking to Damon."

Elena glanced over to him to see if he had heard his name, but he was talking with Caroline. If he had heard, he wasn't acknowledging it.

"Well what should I be talking with him about?" Elena asked, eyebrows raised.

"I don't know," he said, shrugging. He grabbed another glass of champagne. "How you still love him or how you're sorry or how he should dump Andi the _reporter_."

"And what about Conner?" Elena asked, glancing over at him. He was talking to Matt, most likely about football. She had no idea he liked football so much. He'd never said anything about it before.

"I don't know," Jeremy said, sounding annoyed with her question asking. "Send him back to New York or something. I don't care."

"So you're clearly siding with Damon," she observed.

"I'm not siding with anyone," he said. "I'm simply saying that you two still clearly love each other and are being very immature about the whole situation. And frankly, I'm tired of seeing you moping and him trying to make you jealous."

Elena raised an eyebrow. "Coming from the guy who did drugs and painted his nails black half of high school?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "Shut up and go talk to Damon."

She glanced over at him. He wasn't with Caroline anymore. He was talking to Alaric.

She was going to regret this, she really was but Jeremy's words were echoing in her brain. She got up, leaving behind a satisfied looking Jeremy and walked to Alaric and Damon.

They both looked at her as they saw here approach.

**Damon's POV**

He tried really, really hard not to stare as she approached. She was wearing a deep red v neck dress, showing just enough to make him stare but not enough to say she didn't look classy. It came a few inches up above her knee and hugged her curves nicely. Her hair was curled tightly with a small bump in the front. She had on black heels. She looked nervous as she approached them and her heartbeat wasn't steady. He had saw Elena and Jeremy talking and caught something about Conner being to innocent for her, which had made him smile in secret satisfaction. He hadn't listen to the rest though.

"Alaric," she said, "Jeremy needs you for something."

Alaric nodded and began to walk over to where Jeremy was sitting, not looking like he was expecting Alaric. That left the two of them together.

She looked down at her feet, awkwardly.

"You look nice," he said and then instantly wished he could take it back. She did look nice but he didn't want her to know he thought she looked nice. He sounded like a confused high school kid.

"Thanks," she said, looking at him, her full lips quirking up into a smile. "You do too."

Her smile made her look like her old self. Before Elijah and Stefan. It was easy and light and wasn't so sad looking like it had been since she arrived back in Mystic Falls. It made Damon smile too.

"So where's Andi?" Elena asked, glancing around. "I haven't seen her."

Damon's eyebrows furrowed the slightest. He honestly didn't know where she was. She was suppose to meet him there about thirty minutes ago but he hadn't seen her yet. He hoped she was okay.

"I don't know," he said. "She was suppose to meet me here."

"Maybe you should call her and make sure she's okay," Elena said.

"I'm sure she's fine," he said. "She isn't exactly known for being punctual."

"Oh," Elena said, looking down at her feet again.

He racked his brain for something to say, not something he had to do very often. "Where's Conner?" he asked, distastefully. He didn't like Conner. It wasn't just because he was Elena's boyfriend or that he looked like he should be off surfing somewhere. There was just something about Conner that Damon didn't like. There wasn't exactly a specific thing to dislike; he was nice enough, but something about him just pissed Damon off. There was just something so off about him and it bothered Damon that he couldn't place it. He felt like it was _right there _in front his face.

"He's with Matt, talking about football probably," she said, rolling her eyes.

Damon resisted the urge to laugh. "Still not a fan of football?"

"Nope," she said, popping the p.

He shook his head. "Me either."

"Damon-" she said with a determined tone to her voice before breaking off suddenly and averting her eyes.

"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "Never mind, its not important."

He stared at her, causing her shuffle her feet and look uncomfortable.

"Tell me."

"No, its really not important."

"Elena," he said, evenly.

"Fine," she said. "Can we… talk?"

"Isn't that what we're doing?" he asked, though he knew that was not what she meant.

"No," she said, shaking her brown curls. "We're making awkward conversation and trying to pretend it isn't awkward."

His lips quirked up in a smile at her words. "And why would it be awkward?' he asked. He couldn't help but taunt her just at little. It was really easy and he couldn't deny it, he was getting satisfaction from it in a sick twisted way.

"Why wouldn't it be?" she countered.

"I don't know," he said, shrugging. "You were the one who said it was awkward."

She sighed. "Never mind," she said, using that tone she used to use with him when he did something to annoy her, which was almost all the time. "Just forget I ever said anything."

She turned to leave but he grabbed her arm, stropping her. "Wait," he said, eyebrows furrowed. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Everything," she said.

He contemplated the overall drama that would most likely occur if they talked and decided he wanted to hear what she had to say. She owed it to him after all.

They went outside but not before Elena grabbed her black jacket off of her chair and told Jeremy to keep an eye on Jenna. She was downing them quicker than Damon usually did.

It was quiet outside, no sound but the wind and distant music from inside. They stopped and stood there, waiting for the other to speak.

"Damon," she began.

"Before you say anything," he said. "Just… don't say your sorry. You didn't crash my car. Sorry doesn't work."

"That's not what I was going to say," she said.

He raised an eyebrow, curiously. "Go ahead."

"When I left all those years ago," she said, eyebrows furrowing, "it was a mistake. _I_ made a mistake."

He listened, getting absorbed in her words.

"And I could say I'm sorry but like you said, I didn't crash your car. Sorry doesn't work. One word isn't going to make anything better. When I left, I thought I was doing the right thing. And I won't lie, my decision was clouded with guilt and my own hurt. I didn't think about how I would hurt you. I was selfish and I admit it. All I thought about was _my_ pain, _my_ loss, _my_ guilt. I didn't stop to think about how my leaving would effect you. I didn't think about the fact that you had just lost your brother. I didn't _think_.

"And by the time I realized how stupid and selfish I'd been, it was too late. It had been too long and I knew I couldn't just waltz back into your life and everything would be okay, so I didn't. I stayed away. I pretended like it never happened. I pretended like you never happened."

"I always knew it was Stefan," he said, the words burning. "You don't need to tell me."

She shook her head, sadly. "Damon, the morning after you told me you loved me and we were together, it was the best morning of my life."

"But you went to talk to Stefan," he said, bitterly.

"When I went to the boarding house…," she said, slowly. "I was going to tell Stefan goodbye."

"What?" he asked, shocked.

"I knew the moment I kissed you I loved you more than I loved him. I loved him, but I chose you. The moment I kissed you, I knew it was you. I went to Stefan because I wouldn't be Katherine. I went to tell Stefan goodbye."

He didn't know what to say. He was shocked, through and through. For the first time in his life, he had no smart comments, no sarcastic laughs, nothing. He drew a blank.

She waited for him to say something, anything.

After a moment he said, "Conner… what about him?"

"Maybe I love him," she said. "Maybe I don't. Maybe he was just something to forget you. I care about him, but not like you. I don't love him the way I love you."

He again tried to wrack his brain for something to say.

"I can see it in your eyes when you look at her," she said, referring to Andi. "You love her don't you?"

He couldn't make words come out so he simply nodded.

"You didn't compel her either," she said. It wasn't a question.

"No," he said, clearing his throat. "I've never compelled her."

"I didn't think so," she said. "I can see it in her eyes too. She loves you just as much as you love her. I'm happy for you too. I'm happy you found happiness. You deserve it."

She smiled at him, tears starting to well in her eyes. "You try so hard to hide it but you're a great man. Better than Stefan was in a way. You don't try to pretend to be something you're not and I love that about you. You're good enough to be happy. Don't ever forget that. You _deserve_ it. More than anyone I've ever met."

"And what about you?" he asked, quietly, watching tears escape her eyes and roll down her cheeks.

She shrugged, smiling slightly. "I don't deserve it as much as you do. I never will. You're a better person than I am"

He never in a million years thought those words would come out of her mouth.

"After the wedding I'm going back to Columbia," she said. "And you're going to forget about how I hurt you because you have something to love now. You have Andi."

She stepped forward and a since of déjà vu came over both of them. She raised up on her tippy toes so she could kiss his forehead. "I love you, Damon Salvatore and I don't deserve to. I wish I could make you forget me, but I can't. I wish I could take back everything but I can't. The only thing I can do is tell you how much I hope you and Andi have a great life together. I hope she can bring out that human side of you I know you keep hidden in there. I hope she gives back what Katherine and I took from you."

She smiled before turning and waking back to the restaurant, her heels clicking against the pavement the entire way.

**Elena's POV**

"Are you okay?" Jenna asked, as soon as she saw Elena.

"I'll be fine," she said and for once she actually believed those words.

"Did you talk to Damon?" she asked.

Elena nodded.

"I'm sorry," she said and gave her a hug.

Elena smiled. "Everything's going to be okay."

Jenna didn't look convinced.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to take off," Elena said, glancing around for Conner. "I'm sorry."

"No, no, its fine," Jenna said. "I'll see you when we get home."

She nodded and went to look for Conner.

She finally found him talking to Caroline and Tyler.

All of their eyes widened as she approached them.

"Elena what's wrong?" Conner asked, his hands gripping her shoulders.

She tried her best to smile at him. "I'll be fine I promise. I'm going to head home early."

"I'll come with you," he said.

She shook her head. She was done letting people feel bad for her. She was done being poor, wounded hurt Elena. She was done.

"No, stay and have fun," she said. "I'll see you later."

"I think that I should go-"

"No, Conner," Elena said, firmly. "I want you to stay here and have a good time. I'm fine. I'll see you after its over, okay?"

He didn't look happy about it but he nodded. "Wait, how will you get home?"

"I think I'm going to walk."

"That's not safe."

Elena wasn't scared. "It is," she said. "Don't worry. I'll see you later."

She hugged herself deeper into her coat as she walked home, trying to keep the cold air out.

It was completely silent until she heard what sounded like the clicking of heals on pavement. She saw a woman up ahead in a blue dress and she knew it was Andi.

"Elena," Andi said, looking surprised to see her. She looked even more surprised when she really looked at her. "Are you alright? Did something happen?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine. Why are you walking?"

"I could ask you the same," she said.

"I just needed some fresh air."

"Well, I didn't," Andi said, huffing. "My car broke down and my cell phone died so I couldn't call anyone."

Elena reached into her coat pocket and pulled out her cell. She handed it to Andi.

"Use mine," she said. "You can call Damon or someone."

"Thank you," she said. She examined Elena for a moment. "You still love him don't you?"

She nodded.

"I think he loves you too," Andi said.

"Maybe," Elena said, shrugging slightly. "But I've hurt him more than you can imagine and you've been amazing to him. He loves you. He deserves you. I don't deserve him."

Andi looked at her for a moment before her expression softened. "I don't think you should be so hard on yourself. You're only human; you make mistakes."

"And I hurt a lot of people in making that mistake."

"But they forgive you," she said. She handed her cell phone back to her. "Here. I think I'm just going to walk."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Andi said, looking around. "I kind of like I when its dark. It makes me feel safe."

Elena smiled. "Me too."

"I'll see you later Elena," Andi said.

"Have a good night."

"You too."

Later that night, Elena curled up in bed and looked at a bunch of old photos of her parents and them. When they were babies and as they got older. She focused mainly on one them, arms wrapped around each other on Wickery Bridge. It was a couple of weeks before they died.

She didn't know she fell asleep but movement to her right woke her up.

"Sorry," Conner said. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"Its fine," she said. "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah," he said. "But I would have rather you been there."

"Sorry," she said, rubbing her eyes. "I just needed to get away from there."

"Its Damon isn't it," Conner said, quietly.

Elena froze. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"You don't need to lie," Conner said, quietly. "I knew there was something between you and Damon the moment I talked to him. That's why you left isn't it?"

"Yeah," she admitted. "Damon and I were together the night Stefan died."

"And you felt so guilty you left." It wasn't a question.

"All I could think about was maybe if I had been with him or if Damon had been with him, it wouldn't of happened."

"You can't think that way, Elena."

"I know that now."

"Do you still love him?" Conner asked.

"I'll always love him," Elena said, knowing in her heart her words were true. "But that doesn't mean I can't love someone else."

He kissed her on the forehead sweetly. His hand touched the photo. He looked down and picked it up.

"This is at Wickery Bridge right? Where your parents died?" he asked, softly.

Elena froze.

"What's wrong?" he asked, seeing her reaction. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up your parents."

That wasn't what had caused her to react like that. "How did you know my parents died on Wickery Bridge?"

Conner looked at her funny. "Elena, you told me."

"Oh," she said.

"You're tired," he said, rubbing her cheek. "Go to bed."

He kissed her on the cheek and she closed her eyes but sleep didn't come.

She was unsure of so many things about her life at this point, but she was sure of one thing.

She had never told Conner her parents died on Wickery Bridge.


	9. Chapter 9

**Wow thanks for all the reviews! Sooooo close to 100! And for those of you who expected this twist to happen, good job! I've been dropping little hints throughout the story! Nice eye! And for those of you who didn't, don't feel bad. I wouldn't of either XD So this chapter is the wedding/reception. Yes, there are some sappy moments and I apologize if they sound corny. It actually kind of hurt pulling the words out of my brain. I'm not really a romance writer, of course unless its Delena. I'm more of a drama/supernatural/horror kind of girl. Anyways, hope you enjoy. R & R!**

"The less we know the more we suspect."-H.W. Shaw

Jenna's wedding was going to be held at the church that Jeremy and Elena had been baptized at. Elena felt a little guilty stepping back into the familiar church. She hadn't been there in years. She stopped going about the time she got into high school. Her life suddenly revolved around boys and friends and cheerleading and Sunday church took a back seat to the recently acquired activities. Seeing this church again brought back so many memories.

Jenna was in a back room with her bridesmaids, completely freaking out.

"Jenna," her friend Maria said, soothingly. "You are going to be fine."

Elena could tell by how Jenna's eyes had this glassy look to them that she was about to bolt for it.

Elena knew drastic measures were going to be needed and she came prepared. She wandered into the corner where her purse was and reached in and felt for little flask she had stolen from Jeremy. She figured he had enough of them already and Jenna would need it. She walked to Jenna and handed it out to her.

"What's that?" Jenna asked, eyeing it suspiciously.

"Its vodka, take it," Elena said.

The amount of relief on Jenna's face was almost funny. She took a huge swig from it and handed it back to Elena. She took a deep breath and said, "Thanks. I needed that."

"I knew you would," she said, tossing it onto the white couch. She turned back to Jenna and put a hand on both shoulders. "Listen to me."

Jenna stared wide eyed at her. "I'm listening."

"You love Alaric," Elena said. "More than you have ever loved anyone in your entire life. The sun rises and sets on him. You've dreamed of this day since you first met him and now its happening. You're scared but you know you want to. Alaric is going to be out there waiting for you."

"I know," Jenna said, eyes still abnormally wide. "That's why I'm freaking out. I'm a mess."

"Do you really think he cares that you're a mess?" Elena asked. "No, he doesn't. He loves you for your strengths and your faults. He isn't going to just magically stop loving you because you're nervous."

"What if I forget my vowels?" Jenna asked.

"You know how you feel about him in your heart," she said, sounding extremely sappy. She had been feeling extremely sappy since she had talked to Damon. "You don't need to memorize words written down on a note card. Its all in your heart, Jenna."

"Sure?"

Elena nodded. "One hundred percent positive."

"Okay," she said, taking a deep breath, "Okay. I can do this."

"But not before you spray your breath with mint or something," Elena said, smiling.

Jenna cracked a small smile. "Okay."

"You look great by the way," Elena said, looking at Jenna from head to toe. Her hair was done in artful curls and fell past her shoulders and down her back. She had blue sapphire barrettes holding back one side of her hair, something blue and also something new. The garter on her thigh was something old, having been her mother's, so all she needed was something borrowed. Elena reached for the clasped on her neck and undid it. She pushed back Jenna's hair and clasped it around her neck. Something borrowed.

Jenna's dress was breath taking. It was strapless with Swarovski crystals threaded onto the top. It was an empire bodice that met the draping, cascading onto the draped A-line skirt. The draping created the bubble hemline, ending in a chapel train.

Jenna looked beyond amazing in it.

"Perfect," Elena said.

**(dress: .com/bridals/bridal/2903)**

**Damon's POV**

"She's probably freaking out," Alaric said, pacing back and forth in the small room.

"Probably," Damon said. He imagined poor Jenna was about to throw up and Elena was using that hypnotizing, soothing tone of her's to calm Jenna down. Damon imagined it was working. Elena had a way with her words. Probably why she wanted to be a writer. Her words hypnotized people and drew them in. They drew him in. Last night had not been one of his strong points. He had been so shocked by what she had said, he was completely thrown off. He honestly suspected the reason why Elena wanted to talk to him was to yell at him for Andi being a reporter. Needless to say, he was a little thrown off guard and just stood there like an idiot. And now she probably thought that he was completely in love with Andi and had let her go. He did love Andi. Andi was great. She was fun and smart and nice and Damon loved being around her. But he didn't love her as much as he loved Elena. He should have been saying all those things instead of standing there like he was missing his tongue. He wasn't going to let her get away again. As soon as the wedding was over, he was going to talk to her. He lost her once; it wasn't going to happen again.

"You are the worst best man _ever_," Alaric groaned, still pacing.

Damon rolled his eyes. "No, I'm not, I'm the best best man ever."

He used his vampire speed to run to him, blocking his path.

Alaric jumped slightly, showing how nervous he was. Being Damon's friend, he was use to Damon's vampire abilities. He hardly ever got surprised anymore.

"Jesus," he said, rubbing a hand down his face. "Would you not do that?"

"First, stop pacing," Damon said. "Its giving a headache, which isn't something easy to do."

Alaric stood still, looking like he was about to be sick.

"Second," Damon said, reaching into his tuxedo pocket. He pulled out a flask. "Take this."

Alaric took it, looking relieved. He took a large swig before giving it back to Damon. "Thanks."

"I figured you'd need a little liquid confidence," Damon said. He took a swig himself. He needed it too.

"Elena was pretty upset last night," Alaric said, eyeing Damon. "You two talk?"

"Yes," Damon said. The sound of her heels clicking on the pavement, walking away from him was echoing in his brain. It had echoed all night, even after he saw Andi, who looked amazing in her silken blue dress. He had been distracted the rest of the night and he knew Andi knew it too.

"How'd it go?" Alaric asked, pulling at the bow tie around his neck.

Damon sighed. "She talked, I listened and she left."

"That's it?" Alaric asked, looking doubtful.

"Oh," Damon said, not happy about admitting his moment of weakness to Alaric, but he did anyway. "And after she talked, I stood there like an idiot and let her get away."

"What happened to you being a lady's man?" Alaric asked.

Damon sighed again, his temples starting to throb. "Not with Elena. She's different. She makes me different."

Alaric smiled and Damon had the urge to rip it off. It was so superior and accomplished, like he was somehow responsible for this change in Damon. Damon had a feeling that sometimes Alaric forgot he was much, much older than him.

"Don't look like that," Damon said, temper flaring.

"Like what?" he asked, innocently.

"I don't know- superior."

"I'm not acting superior."

"Then why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because you finally just admitted that you aren't the obnoxious monster you try so hard to be."

**Elena's POV**

A knock sounded on the door, causing Jenna to start panicking again.

Elena patted her aunt on the arm and went to answer the door.

Damon was standing on the otherwise, looking very nice in his tuxedo. "Time to get started," he said, staring into her eyes.

She nodded, averting her gaze. As much as she wanted to jump into his arms and kiss those lips right there, she knew that she couldn't. Damon loved Andi. She didn't have the right to do that anymore. "I'll be there in ten seconds."

He nodded and walked away from the door, allowing her to close it.

"Alright, Jenna," Elena said. "Time to get started."

"What if I trip?" Jenna asked, this thought just occurring to her.

"You won't," she said. "Remember to step in the time with the music and you'll be fine."

"Okay," she said, standing up. Elena handed her the bouquet of violets and white roses.

"And Jenna?"

"What?"

Elena rubbed her aunt's arm. "Don't forget to smile."

Elena linked her arm through Damon's, feeling a rush of heat shoot up her arm and radiate through her body, just like she had felt when she kissed him last night, even though it was only on the forehead. She held her small bouquet in her hand, took a deep breath and began counting in her head. One…two…three…now.

They began to walk down the isle, seeing for the first time the people there. She would say there was at least a hundred people there. She recognized a large amount of them and others she didn't. She saw Conner in one of the rows closer to the front and he gave her a smile, to which she tried to mirror.

Elena had had a nagging thought in her mind ever since last night after Conner made the comment about Wickery Bridge. She knew she had never told him. She simply told him that her parents died in a car accident. Conner said she told him but she was almost one hundred percent positive she hadn't. Was it possible that she just didn't recall telling him? Was she worrying over nothing? It was possible but Elena had learned over the last few years to overanalyze everything and not let one little thing slide because the effect could be catastrophic.

She could feel Damon watching her and she knew he sensed her tension.

They made their way down the isle and despite everything Elena had to smile at it. She was walking down the isle, arm in arm with Damon in a church. It was more than a little funny.

They parted ways and she went to stand by the other bridesmaids while Damon went and stood beside Alaric and two of his groomsmen, who she did not know the names of. Everyone was told to rise and the familiar "Wedding March" began to play. All eyes were on the door.

Jenna appeared suddenly and their was a collective number of gasps. Despite her being nervous, she didn't look it. She looked calm, cool and beautiful. The only hint of nervousness was in her eyes and Elena only knew what it was because she knew Jenna very well. To anyone else, Jenna looked calm and happy, a wide smile on her face.

Jenna said her vowels first and Elena couldn't help but watch Damon as her aunt spoke the words.

"Alaric," she said, smiling widely at him. "I knew the moment I met you I wanted to be with you forever. You were so sweet and kind. You radiated something that I had never seen before. It drew me to you. I knew the first time I heard you speak that you were different. I knew you were special. As I continued to get to know you, I fell in love with every little detail about you. The way you cared about people, whether you knew them or not. The way you stood out in a crowd. The way you snort when you laugh. From the moment I met you, I knew I was changed and it was in a good way. I knew I needed you with me forever. I love you so much and I can't imagine how I got by before I knew you."

Elena felt her heart squeeze and tears filled up in her eyes, threatening to spill as she looked at Damon, who was looking right back at her. She knew she needed to break this stare. It only hurt and it would hurt Andi and Conner if the saw it. She couldn't be sure that Conner was lying to her about telling him where her parents died, but she still didn't want to hurt him. And she didn't want to hurt Andi either.

"Alaric?" the preacher said.

"Jenna," he said, a smile spreading. "The last few years have been the best of my life. When I met you I was mourning and sad. I was hung up in the past and my life had stopped. I had stopped caring. I had stopped living."

Elena saw how guilty Damon looked for a moment, looking down at the ground. Damon knew exactly why Alaric had felt this way. He knew it was because of what he did to Isobel.

"You saved me," he said and again, Elena felt her eyes drift to Damon. "You showed me that I could move on. I could be happy again. I could be more than the empty shell that I had become. When I met you, I was compelled in a way. When you smiled, I smiled. When you were happy, I was happy. I love everything about you. I love that fire you have inside of you. I love your never ending selflessness and I love how you can be fun and spontaneous while still being mature and responsible. I love you and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

Elena blinked back more tears with a wide smile on her face.

"The rings?" the preacher asked.

Jenna slipped the ring on Alaric's ring finger and he did the same for her.

The preacher turned to Alaric. "Alaric, do you take Jenna to be your wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," he said.

"And Jenna, do you take Alaric to be your wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," she said and Elena could hear the thickness of tears in her voice.

"Then by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Everyone clapped and laughed as they got really into it but Elena could only look at Damon.

The reception was at no other than The Salvatore Mansion. It was huge and elegant and perfect. Jenna had asked Caroline to plan it and Caroline, not being able to resist the chance to plan a party, happily agreed.

Elena felt a tinge of sadness coming back here. A lot of things happened at that house. A lot of good things and a lot of very, very bad things she didn't want to remember.

The inside had been transformed into a reception appropriate house. Decorations were up and furniture had been moved to accommodate tables and a large amount of people. Even with the furniture moved and decorations up, there was denying the pure and utter elegancy of this house.

"Wow, Car," Elena said to her blonde friend. "You did an awesome job."

"What can I say?" Caroline asked, shrugging. "It's a gift."

"More like a nightmare," Damon said, distastefully looking at his home. "What did you _do_ to my house?"

Caroline rolled her eyes at him and his lack of enthusiasm. "You gave me permission," she said, looking like she wanted to stomp her foot and stick out her tongue at him. "So stop complaining."

"I'll complain all I want," he said, stubbornly.

"Oh well," Caroline said, shrugging her slim shoulders. "Its done and there is nothing you can do about it."

She skipped off then, going to look for Tyler or Bonnie or someone.

And just like before they stood there, though Elena didn't feel as awkward this time. She had said what she needed to say and that was that. Everything was out and there was no reason why she couldn't have a conversation with him. There had been a time when she could talk to Damon about anything. Of course, that was before she realized she loved him and before Stefan was murdered by Elijah.

"Its really not that bad," Elena said, breaking the silence. "It won't take that much time to clean it all up and put the furniture back, especially with whose here."

She was more than sure that a football player, a werewolf and two vampires could do it. Maybe even Bonnie and Luka could do some kind of spell to have it all magically disappear- unlikely but who knew?

Damon cracked a smile, his blue eyes lightning up. "I know," he said. "I just like giving Blondie a hard time."

Elena rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I'm glad to see how much you've matured."

"Come on, Elena," he said, doing his eye thing. "I'm a 22 year old guy. I don't need to grow up."

"Yeah," Elena said, rolling her eyes again. She lowered her voice just in case. "22 plus 148."

He opened his mouth, surely to say something snarky and probably rude back but didn't get the chance. Conner came up and wrapped an arm around her waist, like he always did. She jumped and tried her best to control her face. She needed to stay calm and cool. She needed to pretend like everything was okay.

She knew Damon didn't believe it.

"Hey," Conner said, kissing her on the side of the neck. He turned to Damon and Elena imagined his smile fell the slightest. "Damon."

Damon nodded once at him and looked back at her. "I'm going to go make sure no drunken bridesmaid breaks anything."

Elena nodded and watched him disappear into a crowd of people.

"What was all of that about?" Conner asked, a hint of jealously in his tone.

Elena sighed. Maybe telling him had been a mistake. "We were just talking Conner."

"Okay, okay," he said. "Sorry. But I can't help but be a little jealous."

"Damon and I are over," Elena said, the words burning in her mouth like acid. "We were just talking about the party."

"Okay," he said, satisfied with her response. "Elena, look about last night…"

She froze.

"You've been kind of acting weird ever since," he said, either ignoring or oblivious to her response. "And I just need to know why? Is it because I brought up your parents?"

Every instinct in her body was telling her to lie. So she did.

"No," she said, trying her best to sound like she was telling the truth. "Its just everything. Its Mystic Falls and its Damon and its all these memories. Being back here, I have to relive everything again. I have to face everything I've been hiding from for the last three years."

"Hey," he said, giving her that smile that used to always make her feel better. It did nothing for her now. "There's nothing wrong with being a little sad. A lot of things have happened in this town. No one blames you for being a little on edge."

She plastered a fake smile on her face.

He reached out to hug her and she almost backed away, but she couldn't do that. Instead she hugged him back and the smile fell from her face. She saw Damon watching her, a curious and worried expression on his face, from across the room.

After cutting the cake, where Jenna and Alaric had quite literally shoved it into each other's mouth in a hilarious and total picture worthy moment, it was time for the first dance. Everyone watched as they slow danced on the floor, both evidently nervous and trying not to step on the other's foot. And then it was time for the bridesmaid and groomsmen to. Damon came and reached out a hand to her, pulling her on the dance floor.

She glanced around, looking for Conner without realizing she was doing so.

"Did you and Conner get into a fight?" Damon asked, noticing what she was doing.

"No," she said, too quickly.

He raised an eyebrow.

She sighed. "We didn't get into a fight."

"Then why did you look like you were being hugged by the devil himself?"

Elena would have laughed if it hadn't been so totally unfunny.

"I don't-"

"Oh stop Elena," Damon said. "I can read you. There is no point in lying to me."

"Look," she said, voice low. "I don't think it's a big deal and I think I'm just looking into it too much but…"

She trailed off, biting her lip. She didn't believe the words coming from her mouth and neither did Damon.

"What happened?" he asked lowly.

"Last night after I came home early, I got out a few old family photos," she explained. "There was this one of me, Mom, Dad and Jer on Wickery Bridge. It was just few weeks before they died. Well, Conner saw the photo."

He nodded, signaling for her to go on.

"And he asked if that was Wickery Bridge where my parents died," she said, voice lowering to a whisper. "But the thing is, I never told him where they died. All I ever said was they died in a car crash. I asked him how he knew and he said I told him. But Damon, I know I didn't tell him. I'm probably just looking into it too much but-"

Damon suddenly looked murderous and she would have melted into a little puddle if it had been directed at her.

"What?" she asked, voice rising an octave.

"Damn it," he said, lowly, his eyes wide and angered. "Damn it! I can't believe I didn't see it before!"

"What?" she asked, fearful. She gripped Damon's arm. "Damon, what?"

"Where's Conner?" he asked, between clinched teeth.

"I don't know," she said, voice shaking. He began to pull away and she gripped his arms. The look in his eyes scared her and she wasn't about to let him do what he looked like he wanted to, especially not in a house full of people. "Damon, why?"

"Because I finally figured out what has been right in front of my face the entire time!" he hissed. The words didn't make sense to her but the murderous look in his eyes stopped her from asking him to elaborate.

Instead, she wrapped her hand around his wrist as he walked off the space that was used for the dance floor and began looking for Conner.

**Hope you liked it(: Sorry if there's any mistakes or anything. Lol, my brain kind of feels like putty right now. I'm going to go to bed now before I pass out on the keyboard!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Wow thank you so much for all the reviews! I planned on updating yesterday but got sidetracked by shopping and movies, thanks to my friend. Anyways, here's the next chapter. All is revealed! R & R!**

"Secrets are made to be found out with time."- Charles Sanford

"Damon, tell me what's going on!" Elena begged, panic evident in her voice.

She still had her hand wrapped tightly around his wrist and he was moving swiftly through the throng of people A few people looked at them like they were about to say something to him, like he was the one gripping her and pulling her long along, not the one gripping and desperately following. She imagined Damon looked like he was about to kill someone, hint why a few people stepped out of his way completely as he walked.

Well, not everyone.

Alaric stood out right in front of him, blocking his path. He put a hand out, it hitting Damon's chest with an audible smack.

"What happened?" Alaric asked, his voice worried and low. The distress on Damon's face must have been as evident as Elena thought it would be. She still kept her hand wrapped firmly around his wrist. She wouldn't allow him to leave her behind. She knew exactly what Damon was capable of when he was like this and she wouldn't allow him to make a hasty decision and wind up regretting it later. She knew with striking clarity he _would_ feel it later. The days of Damon shutting down his emotions were long over.

"Our _friend_-" he sneered the word "-Conner isn't who he says he is."

Elena felt just as confused as Alaric looked. She knew last night something wasn't right with Conner. She knew with every ounce of her being something was _wrong_. He transformed from someone sweet and innocent (in the supernatural awareness sense of the word) and safe to something unknown, scary and possibly dangerous. He was no longer her Conner. And Damon seemed to know exactly what that unknown was and Elena felt frustrated that he wouldn't fill her in.

"W-what do you mean?" Alaric asked, eyes wide.

"I mean, how much do we actually know about Conner?" Damon asked, voice low with purpose and intent.

"A lot," Elena said, voice shaking. "I know a lot."

"You know what he's told you," Damon said.

"But- but I've met his parents!" Elena said, desperately trying to dismiss the thought forming in her head and already in Damon's. "I've been to his house and I saw where he grew up!"

Maybe it was the desperation in her voice or the tears starting to burn in her eyes that caused Damon's eyes to softest just a touch. He touched the hand that was gripping his wrist with his other hand and even in the middle of her world falling apart again, she couldn't help but feel the tingling in her skin where he touched her. She couldn't help but feel like she was home in his icy blue eyes.

"People lie, Elena," he said, like she should know that better than most people. "They lie about who they are and what drives them. They lie about their motives and intentions."

She blinked and felt tears rolled down her cheek.

"Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Alaric asked.

"Have you seen Conner?" Damon asked, ignoring his question.

"Yeah, he went down the hall, in the direction of Stefan's room," Alaric said.

Damon's eyes blazed and he started walking again, pulling Elena along with him. Alaric followed. They swerved and avoided the mass of people scattered.

Finally, they reached Stefan's room, the door closed.

She made the mistake of dropping his hand as a flood of memories washed through her. Damon opened the door and Elena saw Conner standing, reading something before Damon used his supernatural speed to run to Conner, fling what Elena recognized as one of Stefan's diaries out of his hand and pinned him against the wall by his throat.

Conner struggled and pulled at Damon's hands, unsuccessfully.

"What the hell?" Conner choked, using his dwindling air supply. "How'd you do that?"

Elena and Alaric both ran to Damon and tried to pull him off of Conner. Of course, both being human, it didn't work. Trying to pull Damon off of Conner at this point was like trying to move a brick wall by hand. Elena would have to try a different tactic.

"Damon," she begged, "stop, please, please stop. We won't find out anything like this. Let him go."

She watched the struggle on his face, to let Conner go or not to, before finally he dropped his hands from Conner's throat and he slid down the wall before hitting the floor, choking on the rush of air filling his lungs.

"What the hell are you?" Conner asked, rubbing his hands over his throat and coughing.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Stop the "innocent human" act," Damon said. "You're not fooling anyone anymore."

"What are you _talking_ about?" Conner asked, glaring at the vampire. "Are you insane?"

"Only a little," Damon said, narrowing his eyes at him. "But you already know that, don't you?"

Conner turned to Elena and Elena felt nothing but wariness and uncertainty staring at him. He looked like he genuinely had no idea what Damon was talking about but how could Elena believe him? Conner was hiding something. Elena just knew it.

"Elena, what is he talking about?" Conner asked, brown eyes wide and innocent.

"Stop acting like you don't know, Conner," Elena said. "You can stop lying. We know."

Technically, she knew nothing but if Conner thought they knew something he would be more inclined to stop acting innocent.

She was right and his expression suddenly changed and Elena let a gasp escape her lips. His face looked so much older and wiser, like he'd seen more things than anyone his age should. It was no longer the sweet, carefree, happy expression she'd come to know and even love. He was a stranger now. It was like in just a second he was a completely different person.

He stood up, effortlessly, not like he had just been choked thirty seconds ago and ran a hand through his hair. "I doubt that, Elena," he said. His voice changed just as rapidly as his face and Elena felt her eyes widen. "I really, really doubt that."

"Who _are_ you?" Elena whispered.

"I'm Conner Wilkins" he said. "I grew up in California, I had a sister named Melody, I go to Columbia now. You know who I am."

Elena shook her head. "Who the hell are you?" she practically shouted. She forgot she was at a party with a hundred other people who could hear her shout. She forgot there were two other people in the room with her. She forgot everything. "Stop lying and tell me the truth!"

"Tell her or I will," Damon threatened.

Conner shot him a dangerous look, like Conner could physically hurt him if he wanted to. "You don't know what the hell the truth is, Damon Salvatore," he said, sneering Damon's name. "You don't know _anything_."

"I know I can and I will snap your neck and not think twice about it," Damon said, voice low and dangerous.

Conner looked amused, which only further irritated Damon and confused Elena. Was Conner suicidal or was she completely missing something? "I highly doubt that." Conner said, rolling his eyes.

"Want to bet?"

Conner shook his head, looking tired and annoyed. "You're arrogance and cockiness makes you blind, which makes you stupid. The combination will get you killed someday."

The look on Damon's face could have made someone melt but Conner held strong, looking at him with a look of distaste on his face. Alaric was as pale as a sheet and Elena wanted to scream out in frustration. She felt like she was the only one who didn't know what was going on.

"Stop it!" she yelled, causing them all to look at her. "Stop fighting and tell me what's going on!"

"He's a witch," Damon said.

Conner shot him a dark look. "Warlock."

Elena felt like she just got hit in the stomach. Conner was a warlock. He had supernatural powers. He knew everything. The very thing Elena wanted so desperately for Conner to never know he already knew. He was a part of it.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Elena whispered.

"Oh because there's more I'm sure," Damon said, answering for him. "Go ahead, Conner, tell her."

Conner hesitated, a look of uncertainty on his face.

"You're working with Elijah aren't you?" Damon asked.

Elena gasped. No, no, no. He couldn't be. She couldn't have been with the person who worked with the person who killed Stefan for the last few years. It was impossible. She would have known wouldn't she? Elijah would have contacted Conner somehow and Elena would have known. Wouldn't she?

"You don't know the truth," Conner said, staring at Elena. "I can see the accusation on your face."

Conner took a step towards her and Elena took one step back, not wanting Conner anywhere near her.

His eyebrows furrowed and he almost looked hurt. "Listen to me, Elena," he said, a hint of desperation in his tone. "You have to trust me-"

"Trust you?" Elena shrieked. "Trust _you_? You are working with the person who killed him! You've been lying to me about who you the entire time I've known you! Why in God's name would I trust you?"

"Elijah didn't kill Stefan," Conner said, shaking his blonde head.

Damon and Elena both froze, caught between shock and suspicion. Alaric, who had kept quiet the entire time asked, "If Elijah didn't kill Stefan, then who did?"

"One of Klaus's… men," Conner said, bitterly. "They were more than likely looking for the moonstone and thought Stefan would have it. When he didn't, they killed him."

"You're lying," Damon said, eyes narrowed.

"Why would I lie?" Conner snapped at him. "What good would that serve me?"

"How do you know all of this?" Elena asked, skeptically.

"You don't have to believe me, Elena," Conner said. "I've given you every reason not to, but Elijah isn't your enemy. Klaus is. Klaus wants the curse broken not Elijah."

"Why wouldn't he?" Alaric asked. "Why would he not want the curse broken?"

"Why would he?" Conner countered. "The only good it would bring him would be the power to walk in the sunlight, which he already possesses. It would cause him more trouble than it would good."

"How so?" Damon asked.

"He wouldn't be the only vampire who would be allowed to walk in the sunlight," Conner explained. "It would let every vampire in the world. Do you know how _bad_ that would be? Do you know how chaotic the world would be? Elijah doesn't want to deal with that. He wants things to stay the way they are now."

"Then why would Klaus want that?" Elena asked.

Conner's face twisted in disgust and anger. "Because Klaus is insane in every sense of the word. He loves chaos and pain and everything we fear. He ravels in it."

"And where do you fit in to all of this?" Damon asked.

"My sister wasn't killed by a drunk driver when I was fourteen. She was taken by Klaus. Melody is a powerful witch and Klaus needs a powerful witch to break the curse. He has a number of witches with him, held against their will.

"Right before I graduated, Elijah came to me and told me everything. He said that if I would do something for him, he would get Melody back."

"What did you have to do?" Elena asked, though she was certain she already knew the answer.

"He told me that I had to protect someone who was very important," Conner said, his eyes softening just a little as they looked at her. "He said that she was the key to the entire curse and she needed to be protected."

Elena stared at him, wordlessly, waiting for him to go on.

"A few months and compulsion later, I was in Columbia under the impression of a full scholarship," he explained. "Elijah gave me a picture of you and said to do whatever I needed to do to protect you. So I started asking around about you and found out about you. It wasn't long before we were talking and became friends.

"Elena I didn't plan on falling in love with you. I really didn't. But I did and it wasn't just about getting my sister back anymore. It was about protecting you from Klaus and fixing you. You were so sad and broken when I met you. All I wanted was to make you better. All I wanted was to bring out the girl I knew use to fill the empty shell you had become."

"Why should we believe a word you're saying?" Damon asked, though he looked like he believed Conner.

"You don't have to," Conner said, simply, all traces of anger washed away from his face and voice. "But she's the doppelganger and she has to be protected with all costs. You know that, Damon."

Damon looked like he was caught up in a déjà vu moment and he simply nodded, not saying anything.

"You could have told me the truth," Elena said. "You could have told me who you were from the very beginning instead of lying. I would have believed you."

Conner shook his head. "You wanted to have a normal life," he said. "I wanted you to have a normal life. I didn't want you to have to constantly worry about everything."

"But I did," she said. "I did everyday."

Elena swallowed back tears. "I want you to leave, Conner," she said.

His eyes widened and he shook his head. "Elena, I need to protect-"

"I have plenty of people who can protect me," she said, knowing this was true. "And the moonstone is safe from Klaus. He won't be able to get it."

"I don't want to leave you," he said.

"But I want you to," she said. It hurt saying those words but their entire relationship had been based on a lie. The person she thought she fell in love with was a lie. He didn't exist. "Your responsibility of taking care of me is over. Consider yourself free."

"I told you it wasn't about that anymore," he argued.

"Please leave," she whispered. "And don't come back."

He looked like he was going to argue before his face fell in defeat. "I love you, Elena," he said. "I always will. Don't forget that."

He turned to Damon. "Protect her," he said, fiercely.

Elena expected Damon to say something sarcastic or rude but he didn't. "I always have and I always will," he said.

And with that, Conner gave her one last look before walking out the door.

**Aww):**

**I have to say I'll miss Conner just a little bit, but he needed to leave. At least I didn't make him a bad guy like you were all probably expecting!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Wow I suck. Sorry it took this long to update. I've been super busy and I wanted to update On A Fault Line first because it had been awhile since I did. Anyways, hope you enjoy. R & R!**

"For every dream that's reborn, there's a dream that dies. For every hello you say, there's a sad goodbye"- Unknown

Elena felt her heart break as she watched Conner disappear out the door and from her life forever. Conner and herself had been nothing but a lie, but she couldn't help it. She would miss Conner. She would miss the fake Conner. The Conner that she stayed up till all hours of the night with, watching TV, playing pointless video games or just talking. The Conner that played guitar for her to make her smile. The Conner that had become her safe harbor the last few years. That Conner had never existed though and she needed to make herself realize that. She didn't love Conner Wilkins. She loved who he told her he was. But regardless, it still hurt watching him leave.

Watching him go was just another reminder that she couldn't have a normal life. She couldn't go to college and fall in love with a normal guy who loved her because of a random chance of fate that they met and fell in love. She couldn't have a normal relationship with people because she could not trust them. She couldn't trust their motives and intentions because she was Elena Gilbert. Elena Gilbert and normal do not go in the same sentence and she was stupid for ever thinking they could.

* * *

"Hey, Elena are you…" Bonnie's familiar voice trailed off as she saw the somber expression of Elena, Damon and Alaric, all standing in Stefan's old bedroom. She had just seen Conner walk out, looking distressed and she had been curious if anything was wrong. From the looks on their face's, she would have to say the answer to that question was yes.

"What's going on?" she asked searching the room on impulse. She felt the tingles of magic brush at her skin, just the below the surface in case she needed it.

"Conner's gone," Elena said, a far away look on her face. Her brown eyes were dull and Bonnie recognized that. She looked a lot like that after she left Mystic Falls and before she met Conner. Bonnie hated seeing her best friend like that and she felt a flash of anger.

She turned to the vampire, immediately and irrationally blaming him. "What did you do?" Bonnie accused, feeling the magic creep up more, begging her to use it. Damon had been death staring Conner since they met so he would have to be the source.

His eyes flashed with anger and Bonnie felt her magic beg her to use it.

"I didn't do anything," he hissed.

Bonnie glanced at Elena for confirmation. She nodded weakly. "Damon has nothing to do with this," she said.

Bonnie believed her and because she was raised a respectable girl, she tried not to glare at the vampire and she said a curt "I'm sorry." It surprised her when he didn't say anything snarky or rude back and instead just nodded once. Maybe he wasn't a complete sociopath monster. Maybe there was still hope in him after all.

"Wait," Bonnie said, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "If Damon didn't do anything… then what happened?"

Elena hugged herself and looked down at the floor. She didn't look like she wanted to talk about it so she looked at Damon and Alaric for an explanation. "Well?" she asked, her stomach feeling heavy, wondering what was going on.

Damon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. "Conner is working with Elijah," he explained and Bonnie gasped. "He has been from day one."

"Oh, my god," Bonnie said, stepping a few feet forward to hug her best friend, who certainly looked like she needed it. "Elena, I am so sorry."

Bonnie heard her sigh and she stepped back. Anger surged through her. "I will fry him if you want me to."

She wasn't kidding either.

Elena shook her head quickly. "He wasn't trying to hurt me," Elena said. "He was just trying to protect me."

"He should have told you the truth," Bonnie said.

Elena nodded. "He should have but he didn't."

"What can I do?" Bonnie asked, softly.

"Can you just fill in the others?" Elena asked, looking exhausted. "I just want to go home."

"Of course," Bonnie said, nodding.

"I'll take you," Damon said.

Elena nodded and looked at Ric. "Can you tell Jenna how sorry I am?"

"Of course," he said.

* * *

It physically hurt him seeing her look like that. She looked so sad and lost and broken. He would do anything to make her smile or at least look okay.

"Will Andi be mad you left?" Elena asked staring at the window.

"No," Damon said, though he wasn't completely sure. He wasn't going to let her worry about his relationship problems though, not on top of everything else. "She won't mind."

"Good," Elena said, looking relieved. "I don't want to be a problem between you two."

"Elena, you are _not_ a problem," Damon said, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

She didn't say anything. She just kept looking out the window though he swore she smiled for just half a second.

He didn't think about the fact that Conner might be at the house until they were walking up to the door. Of course, as she turned her key in the lock he couldn't exactly run up to her room and check to see if he was gone. All the lights were off, so he assumed Conner was gone. He hoped he was gone.

"Thanks for driving me home," Elena said, standing in the opening of the door. "You didn't have to."

"Of course I did," he said, wanting to say so much more.

She bit her lip like she wanted to say so much more. She opened her mouth, but instead she leaned forward and kissed him softly on the cheek. She smiled at him when she pulled back. "Goodnight, Damon."

The way she said it, it sounded like "goodbye" not "goodnight."

He opened his mouth, trying to think of the words to say. He wanted to say how much he loved her, he wanted to say he wanted to go into the house with her. He wanted to tell her that she was the best thing that had ever happened to him, he wanted to tell her he would never leave her or let her go, but he couldn't get the words out.

"Elena," he began, his voice hoarse.

Something lit up in her eyes and Damon didn't like it. Not at all.

"Damon, go home to Andi. She's probably wondering where you are. Thank you for driving me home."

And with that, she closed the door.

* * *

Shutting the door on Damon was the hardest thing Elena has ever done in her entire life. Harder than admitting her feelings for him, harder than seeing Stefan staked to a wall, harder than leaving, harder than coming back. It was harder than telling him goodbye properly. It was so hard because she saw the moment he said her name what he was about to do. He was going to kiss her, he was going to forgive her. As much as she wanted that, she wouldn't allow that. Damon was with Andi and she refused to do that, to hurt the woman who had saved the man she loved.

Hot tears burned in her eyes as she made her way upstairs. They fell as she reached her room. All of Conner's things were gone but that wasn't had caused her to cry. It was the picture of her and Damon in Georgia at that bar lying on her bed with a note attached. She'd left the picture at home in her diary. Conner must have known it was there and brought it.

She picked the note off of the bed and began to read it.

_Dear Elena,_

_I know you must hate me and I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted to protect you. I know you don't understand that and I understand how you feel. I'm sorry for any pain I caused you but I know you'll be okay because you have _him. _You have Damon. I can see the way he looks at you… he loves you and I know you love him back, even if you won't admit. I know he's with Andi but he doesn't love her like he loves you. You deserve to be happy, Elena. You deserve it more than __anyone__ I know and if Damon makes you happy, then don't let him slip away. _

_By the time you get home, I'll be moved out. You'll never have to see me again. As for Columbia, I'm not a writer. I don't belong there. It isn't me. The only thing that kept me there was you._

_I hope you have a happy ever after Elena. I haven't believed in those in a long time, but I think you can have one. You deserve it after all the crap you've had to deal with. _

_Love you,_

_Conner_

Elena clutched the picture to her chest and closed her eyes, Conner's words echoing in her brain.

* * *

He didn't go home right away. He didn't want to have to have to deal with the party and the happy faces and well, everything else. He drove until he was sure no one would be there until he finally began turning the familiar roads home. Of course, he didn't want to go home. He wanted to go back to Elena's. He wanted to force her to understand that he didn't love Andi the way he loved her.

He and Andi had met at The Grill. She was new in town and he was of course, at the bar drinking. She offered to buy him a drink and he figured why not? They talked a little bit and he found himself actually liking her. She was different from most humans. She was interesting, telling him stories that she had covered in different cities. After a few hours, he left and didn't plan on ever seeing her again. They ran into each other about a week later at the Grill again. It just sort of happened. She didn't flip out when she found out what he was. She still liked him. It only made him like her more.

Andi was fun and sweet and nice and a nice escape. Of course, she only made him forget so much and he didn't forget Elena. For the last three years, he's wished she would come back. He got his wish and he wasn't doing anything about it.

He was so close to saying everything he felt and Elena saw that. She saw it and she was too worried about messing up what he and Andi had. If it wasn't so depressing, he'd laugh.

He contemplated turning around and telling her all of this but he was already in the driveway and he could hear only one heartbeat: Andi's. With a sigh, he knew what he needed to do. Before he went to Elena, he needed to so this.

The house still looked like a reception party had been held and he sighed, annoyed. He didn't feel like cleaning it up but he refused to look at the crap.

He walked to his bedroom, looking for Andi. He didn't want to hurt her but keeping her close to him when he loved Elena would only hurt her in the end. He needed to end it.

He was shocked when he walked into his bedroom and he saw suitcases on his bed. Andy was sitting beside them, picking at her nail. She looked up at him sadly.

"What's going on?" he asked, though he was certain he already knew.

"I saw you leave with Elena," Andi said, in a matter-of-fact tone. "I heard what happened."

He stayed silent. He wasn't sure what to say.

Andi sighed and stood up. "You still love her." It wasn't a question.

He nodded, silently.

"I'm not going to be the one standing in between you two," she said. "Conner is gone and I know you two love each. You don't love me. I think you care about me, but I don't compare to Elena. You don't look at me like you look at her. I know that and I won't be the one that stands in between you two. I won't keep you too apart."

She smiled slightly. "I love you Damon Salvatore. Maybe I always will. We sure as hell had fun together."

He nodded and smiled too, happy that she didn't hate him. Just this tiny emotion showed him that any hope of ever turning off his emotions were gone. He felt it all and he _cared_. "That we did."

She pulled her two suitcases off of the bed. She walked a few steps toward him and sat them down. She kissed him on the cheek and smiled.

He carried her bags to her car and put them in the trunk. He opened the door for her and before she got in, she turned to him.

"I'll see you around Damon Salvatore," she said. She gave him a hug and added, "Go get your girl."

As soon as Andi pulled out of the driveway, he didn't bother to get his car. He was running.

**So this story is coming to an end pretty soon): It'll have a few more chapters and I reaaaaaaaally want to get 200 hundred reviews before I'm done so review up people!**


	12. Chapter 12

****

Sorry if you got two notfications! I accidently uploaded the wrong chapter and quickly deleted it. Anyways, the story only has one, maybe two chapters left and then its over): *sigh* I might do a sequel later on. I'm not sure. Keep an eye out for that though! Thank you everyone for the support you've given me throughout this story. Each and everyone of you made this story what it is now. Thank you to everyone who has ever read, reviewed, etc!

On a less sappy note, don't forget to review(;

"One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: that word is love." - Sophocles

The trees and signs and houses blurred by Damon in a streak of gray and black and dark green. For the first time in his life, he felt like he couldn't run fast enough. He couldn't get to Elena fast enough. In reality, he had just started running maybe a minute or two ago but it felt like a millennium or two. He was done pretending he could live without her, he was done letting her pretend that he was happy without her. He was _done. _

For the first time in his life, he loved someone he could have. Elena was possible to be with. She wasn't Katherine. Katherine was selfish and evil and only thought of him as a play thing, easily disposed and forgotten. Elena was kind and nice and caring and she loved him. He knew she still did. He could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice as the memories of her telling him goodbye, letting him go floated around in his head. Elena was everything he was afraid of and everything he wanted, he needed. Elena made him feel everything. Every little emotion, something as small as feeling guilty for killing people to feed all those years ago or something as large as missing his brother, who he swore he hated. Elena made him feel human. He had forgotten so long ago and she made him remember. He needed her more than blood, more than air, more than anything in this world. And _that's_ what he needed to tell her.

His heart beat wildly against his chest as her house came in to view and he ran round back, to where her window was. He looked up at it for a few moments.

* * *

It was nearly three in the morning and Elena still couldn't fall asleep. Oh, she had tried. She wanted to escape reality for just a few hours. She didn't want to think about Conner and going back to Columbia and Damon. She tried her hardest to fall asleep but her mind had other ideas. Instead of falling into sweet, peaceful, painless sleep, she was lying awake, staring at her ceiling. She was thinking of _him_ of course. That's all she could think about it. She thought of the first time she met Damon. She was at the boarding house, looking for Stefan and instead had bumped into his sexy, cocky older brother. Elena's first thought about him was he was beyond gorgeous. The second had been he looked hard, like he had been hurt and put this cold, hard exterior over his true self, in fear of getting hurt again. She wished she could go back to that day. She wished she could go back and tell him that it was okay to hurt, to be angry, to _feel. _Sure, feeling sucked when you hurt. But when you felt something as amazing as love or happiness, it felt pretty damn good to feel. It made the hurt and the pain and the anger worth it.

She wished she could go back to every moment they shared. Every talk, every laugh, every touch, every eye roll and she wished she would have realized then how much she loved him now. She wished she would have admitted it sooner.

But time didn't work that way and she couldn't go back. She couldn't snap her fingers and it be three and a half years ago. She couldn't make a wish on a shooting star or at 11:11 and it come true. That was all fiction; made up nonsense to make people feel like they could change something, to have control over some aspects of their life.

She sighed and begged for sleep to come. She just wanted to escape. No, that's not true. She wanted to be selfish and go to the boarding house right this moment and tell Damon how much she loved him and needed him. She wanted to go against everything she had said that night of the rehearsal dinner and be selfish. She wanted to tell him that he was her's and Andi would just have to get over it. Being selfish had never sounded so sweet.

A knocking noise startled her and withdrew her from her thoughts. She sat up and looked around. She heard it again. It was coming from the window.

Silently, carefully, she slipped out of bed and tip toed across her room to the window. She took a deep breath, fear beating like a pulse inside her and pulled back the curtains.

She jumped back as she saw a dark figure. Her first instinct was to run, because she was on the second floor of her house and it wasn't just a peeping tom, unless they had a ladder. Swallowing her scream, she looked closer. She knew that figure anywhere. She rushed back to the window and opened it as quickly as she could. She grabbed his arm and pulled him in. Even if he did fall, he wouldn't get hurt but the thought still terrified Elena.

She relaxed a little when his entire body was inside the house and not dangling from the window. "How the hell did you do that?" she asked, her voice rising an octave. Vampire or not, she didn't think they could exactly stand on air.

Her heart suddenly picked up and her eyes widened. Damon was standing in front of her.

She stared at him, trying to think of something to say.

He smiled, softly, hesitantly and not very Damon like. "I'm a vampire," he said. "Climbing isn't exactly hard."

"B-but-" Her eyebrows furrowed and she bit her lip. She wasn't good at small talk and neither was Damon. It wasn't in either of their nature. Damon didn't show up at three o'clock in the morning to make small talk.

"Damon, what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice small and hesitant.

He looked at her with so much intensity and love it reminded her of another time he showed up to her bedroom late at night. It brought heat to her cheeks.

"Andi is gone," he blurted.

"Gone?" she asked, feeling a twinge of happiness, quickly replaced with guilt and then worry. "Where'd she go?"

"She left," he said. By the tone of his voice, Elena didn't suspect he was upset about it.

"I'm sorry," she said, softly, just in case he was.

"I'm not," he said. "Andi was great but…."

He reached out, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. She closed her eyes and relished the touch of his skin on her's. She sighed and reopened them.

"But she wasn't you," he continued and didn't drop his hand from her face.

Elena closed her eyes again and felt content hearing those words. That part of her mind that was screaming to pull back was only a mere echo. Standing there, she felt like she was in heaven. If she could, she would stay in that moment forever.

He put his hands on either side of her face and leaned down, their faces just an inch apart, if that. Her heart and breath hitched and she knew Damon could hear it. She switched between looking at those icy blue eyes and full, sexy lips.

"I love you, Elena," he said and the words made her heart beat faster. "I didn't stop when I was with Andi. I didn't stop when you left. I've loved you for a very, very long time."

She listened, mesmerized. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him too but she couldn't make her mouth move. She was stuck listening to his words, as sweet as honey and as soft as velvet.

"When I first met you, all I saw was Katherine," he said. "All I felt was pain from losing her. And then I got to know you and I fell in love with you for everything Katherine isn't. She isn't sweet and caring, or kind and gentle. She didn't make feel like I could fly. My love for her was nothing compared for my love for you. When I'm with you, I feel everything. The good…the bad… the in between. You taught me to feel again. You taught me to be human again. You taught me how to be someone I thought died a long time ago. Someone who cares about people, who thinks before he acts and loves with everything he has. You taught me to be me again."

She felt tears pool in her eyes, a reaction to words so sweet she felt like she was going to melt. And coming from Damon made them perfect. She placed her hand on top of his, where it was cupping her cheek, feeling heat and passion and electricity pass between their skin, jumping from his to her's and vice versa.

"I forgive you for leaving," he said, surely. "I don't care if you think you were selfish. When people are blinded by grief they do things they regret. I don't blame you. You've seen what I can do when I'm grieving and compared to what I did, you did nothing wrong."

"Why should I get off so easy?" she whispered.

He smiled and cocked his head to the side. "You haven't," he said. "The last three years have been punishment enough.

"I won't lose you again," he said, intently. "It won't happen. I'll follow you anywhere Elena Gilbert."

She choked on a sob and leaned forward, resting her forehead against his. "I love you too," she whispered, feeling like she could burst with happiness from saying the words. She wasn't being selfish by saying those words, she realized this now. If anything, it was selfish for not saying them sooner. It wasn't fair to Damon to love him but not admit it, or not be with him. It would only hurt them both unimaginably in the end. Elena didn't want either of them to ever hurt again, not by the other's doing. "And I'll never leave again."

"Then we have an agreement."

She laughed and tangled her hands into his hair, pulling his face down to her's. She kissed him, drinking him in and savoring the taste of him, the taste she thought of constantly and had missed so much. It was a mixture of sweetness, passion and danger. And she loved it.

Like so many years ago, she pulled him to her bed and they fell down on it and just like so many years ago, she pulled off his shirt and admired every inch of his muscular, tan chest. She kissed a trail up his stomach, his neck and finally rested once again on his lips.

She drank him in, savoring everything.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," he said, huskily.

****

Okay, so I was going to write a sex scene, but if I had, you probably would have laughed and I would have completely ruined everything. So, sorry about that.


	13. Chapter 13

**Well, this is it. The last chapter. I know, I'm sad too. I was going to do an epilogue but honestly, everything that needed to happen happened in this chapter and another chapter would be pointless. Thank you all for all the support you've given me through this story. You guys made it worth writing. You guys inspired me in so many ways and made me want to write every second of every day. Thank you just doesn't cover it. I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. **

**All the best, Sarah.**

"The story left untold is better than you know." -Every Avenue, The Story Left Untold

"You got everything?" Jenna asked as Elena put the last of her bags in the car.

She pushed her hair away from her face and nodded. "Yep," she said, feeling a twinge of sadness. "That's everything."

Jenna sighed and frowned, looking on the brink of tears. She brought in another sigh and this time her voice trembled.

"Oh, come on Aunt Jenna!" Elena said, feeling her own voice become thick with emotion. "Don't do this to me!"

"I'm sorry!" Jenna exclaimed, fanning her eyes to keep from crying. "I'm emotional!"

Elena sighed and gave up, letting her eyes fill with tears. She didn't want to leave. She wanted to run back inside and declare that she was never leaving. Just a few days ago she had feared coming back here, to Mystic Falls. She had dreaded it with every ounce of her being and now she didn't want to leave. This was her home and always would be her home. She had been through hell here, she had fallen in love here, she had her heart broken here, she'd been healed here. For the first time in three years, she came to term with the fact that Mystic Falls held a place in her heart that could never be destroyed or replaced.

"Damn it," Elena said, wiping the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. "Now, I'm crying."

Jenna shrugged, sniffling. "Sorry."

"Oh no," Alaric said, Damon and Jeremy close behind. "The crying has started."

Elena blushed and wiped her cheeks, while Jenna glared at him. "Shut up," she said. "She just came back and now she's leaving again!"

Alaric raised his hands while Jeremy rolled his eyes. "Aunt Jenna, we're all coming back for Christmas."

"And Elena and I can come down on weekends," Damon said, giving Jenna a polite smile.

Elena smiled. Damon was moving in with her in the apartment that had been her and Conner's until she graduated from Columbia in a few years. Elena had wanted to move out completely but Damon had disagreed. He said that that had been her home for the last couple of years and she shouldn't have to leave just because of what happened with Conner and her.

"We'll make our own memories to replace the old ones," he had said.

"Fine," Jenna said, crossing her arms over her chest. "But you better do it at least once a month!"

"Promise," Elena said.

Jenna gave her niece a huge hug, squeezing the breath out of her.

"Take care of her," Elena said to Alaric, motioning to her mess of an aunt.

Alaric grinned. "That won't be a problem," he said.

Jenna let go of her so she could say goodbye to everyone else.

She went to Alaric next and gave him a big hug. She was glad that Alaric came into their lives. He was a good man and she knew he would treat Jenna the way she deserved to be. He had become a great friend and now a great uncle.

She moved to Jeremy next and rustled his hair, then gave him a hug. "I'll miss you bro," she said.

Jeremy laughed and nodded pointedly to Damon. "I'm sure you'll find some way to forget about missing me."

Elena blushed and whacked him on the arm before hugging him again.

She walked back towards the house where her friends were standing a polite distance away. She assumed it was so she could say goodbye to her family. They should know better. They were her family too.

She went to Bonnie first and gave her best friend a hug. Bonnie was crying, which only made Elena cry too. "It won't be so long next time," Elena said, smiling.

Bonnie nodded Luka gave her a smile and Elena shook his hand before giving him a quick hug. Then she went to Matt and gave him a hug too. He rustled her hair like she had done to Jeremy and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Tyler was next and their hug was quick, but still nice. Caroline on the other hand was a different story.

Tears were already falling down her face and she wrapped her arms around Elena, squeezing her to death.

"Oh, I'm going to miss you!" Caroline cried, squeezing her too hard.

"Caroline," Elena choked out.

"Oh!" she said, pulling back. She looked sheepish. "Sorry."

"Its okay!" she said, hugging her again. "And I'm going to miss you too!"

"We'll come visit," Caroline said, nodding. "Traveling is starting to get really boring anyways."

Elena nodded and gave her friends one final goodbye before heading to the car.

Jenna grabbed her again before she got in and hugged her tightly.

Elena hugged her back and laughed. "I love you Aunt Jenna," she said. "Thank you for everything you've done for me."

"Love you too," she said. She pulled back and smiled through her tears. "You come back and visit soon okay?"

Elena nodded and went to stand by Damon. Jenna gave him a pointed look. "Look after her," she said, warning in her voice.

Damon smiled. "Like you need to ask," he said, rolling his blue eyes.

Damon opened up the door for Elena and she slid in. He went to the driver's side and got in. She waved to everyone until they disappeared from her sight.

"You ready?" he asked, looking at her from the side.

She scooted over in her seat as far as she could and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Yep," she said.

Damon remained quiet after that and so did Elena. She was thinking about everything that had happened in the last few years. The good, the bad, the in between. She thought about Stefan and their time together, she thought about the short night she had been with Damon and she thought of the years she had been with Conner. She thought about when she came back here just a few days ago and how so much had changed so quickly. In just a few days she became the person she use to be years ago. She felt like herself again. She felt like every part of her life came together, making her whole again. She knew that wouldn't change anytime soon and for that she was grateful.

Damon turned suddenly and Elena lifted her head. "Where are we going?" she asked, confused.

"You need to do this before you leave," he said, which only confused her even further. What was he taking about?

The roads became familiar and she suddenly realized where they were. They were at the land that use to be the Salvatore's in the eighteen hundreds.

"What are we doing here Damon?" she asked, though she was sure she knew.

He stopped the car and turned to her. "I've made my goodbyes," he said, eyes soft. "I did a long time ago. Now you need to."

She sighed, but knew what he was saying was true. She couldn't move on with her life without letting everything that happened in the past go. She couldn't truly be happy if any weight was still hanging over her head.

"Where?" she asked, quietly.

"Just past those trees," he said, pointing.

She nodded and slipped out of the car. "Are you coming?" she asked, before closing the door.

He shook his head. "I think this is something you need to do alone."

She nodded and said, "I'll be back in a minute."

She shut the door and made her way down to the tress he had showed her, avoiding twigs and rocks. She moved past the trees and stepped over the broken branches so she didn't fall. She looked around until she finally saw a small oak tree, not fully grown with a grave stone underneath it.

She approached it slowly and when she reached it, squatted down to read it.

"Stefan Salvatore, beloved brother and friend. You're memory will always remain."

Elena swallowed back tears. Somehow she knew Damon was responsible for that. The message and the oak tree. Of course, the years weren't on it. That wouldn't be possible. She reached out and touched it, like somehow it might not be real. She knew Stefan was dead, god did she know but it was still weird to see his name on a gravestone. It still twisted something inside her until tears fell down her face.

"Hey, Stefan," she said, feeling only slightly insane for talking to a gravestone. "Yeah, I know. Its me."

She sighed and sat down. "I don't know if you're listening," she said, shaking her head. "But I have to say some things."

She took a deep breath and began. "I'm so glad you came into my life," she said, genuinely. "You pulled me out of that dark spot in my mind I fell into when my parents died. You made me see that I could still live and be happy."

She smiled and tears rolled down her face. "I loved you. I loved how sweet and kind you were. I loved you for trying to be human. I loved you for making me feel human again. I loved you for loving Damon even after everything he'd done to you. I loved you for still loving him even after what he did in the beginning. I loved you for making me love him. I loved you for showing me that Damon still had something left to save in him and I love you for helping me save him."

She pushed her hair behind her ears and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for everything that happened towards the end. I'm sorry that I was with Damon when you died. I'm sorry that you had to die without the people you loved. I wish we could have been there to help. Maybe we'd be having a different conversation if we had been there, or maybe we wouldn't be having a conversation at all."

As each word flowed from her mouth, a weight she hadn't known she was carrying went away in pieces. "I hope you can forgive me," she said, knowing in her heart that if he could hear her, he would. "I hope you can forgive for any hurt I ever caused you."

"But I can't be sad forever," she said. "I can't feel guilty for what happened anymore. I can't live with the guilt. I've tried and it doesn't work. I can't feel guilty for loving Damon. I hope you can understand that. I hope you'll be happy that Damon and I are together and will always take care of each other. I'll look after him and he'll do the same for me. And we'll both always love and miss you."

She stood up then and unclasped the necklace that had hung from her neck for so long. She smiled down at it, rubbing the top of it. She placed it on the dirt right in front of the stone.

"Thank you for saving me," she said. "I'll never forget you Stefan. Damon won't either. You'll always have a place in my heart. I hope wherever you are, you're happy."

She wiped the tears from her cheeks and for the first time in a long time felt no sadness in her at all. She felt happy and free.

"Goodbye Stefan," she said and began the walk back to the car.

She slipped in and put her seat belt on. She leaned her head on Damon's arm and smiled at nothing in particular.

"You okay?" he asked, softly.

She angled her head up to look at him. A wide smile spread across her face. "Yeah," she said, being one hundred percent truthful. "I'm fine."

He smiled back and leaned down to kiss her on lips, softly. "I love you," he said.

"Love you too," she said.

They made their way back to the road and Elena rolled down her window. There was still a lot to worry about. She still had to think about Katherine and Klaus and Elijah and the curse, but for now, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the wind in her face, the man beside her and the never ending possibilities in front of her.


End file.
